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What the 25 MW threshold means: how Montgomery County would define a "large data center"
Summary
Staff proposed a definition that designates a "large data center" as a facility with projected aggregate monthly electricity demand of at least 25 megawatts, excluding certain institutions (e.g., higher education, hospitals). The committee adopted a global amendment to include the definition while study continues.
County staff presented a draft definition that combines language used in other jurisdictions and adds an electricity demand threshold drawn from recent Maryland state law. "The data center would be projected to have an aggregate monthly electricity demand of at least 25 megawatts," Ms. Wellens told the committee.
Staff said the definition also includes exclusions to clarify that the ZTA targets commercial, large‑scale facilities and not certain institutional users such as higher education institutions or health care providers. Vice President Marilyn Balcom and sponsors said the definition is intended to align with the 18‑month moratorium adopted by the Economic Development Committee earlier in the day and to provide a single county definition for use across related actions.
