Edwards Calls for Data Center Moratorium

Incoming Georgia Public Service Commissioner Shelia Edwards urges a pause on data center construction over water, power and tax concerns.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Data Centers

Isometric editorial illustration of rectangular cooling units, stacked conduits, and water piping on a concrete pad in front of a pine treeline. — Georgia Public Service Commissioner-elect Shelia Edwards called Monday for a data center moratorium lasting over a year, citing excessive water and power use and large tax breaks. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Public Service Commissioner-elect Shelia Edwards called for a data center moratorium lasting longer than a year, citing excessive water and electricity use and large tax breaks. The call follows Governor-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms's own call for a moratorium on data centers.

Why it matters

A large data center has been approved on property adjacent to a Dallas, Georgia home, raising residents' concerns about placing such facilities near homes. Edwards says everyone in the state should have a voice in where data centers are built and how they operate.

Edwards argues the moratorium should exceed one year, which she describes as the minimum that would be too short. Specific water and electricity consumption figures for the proposed facility were not provided.

The players

Shelia Edwards

Shelia Edwards is a Public Service Commissioner-elect in Georgia who has called for a longer-than-one-year data center moratorium.

Keisha Lance Bottoms

Keisha Lance Bottoms is Georgia's Governor-elect who has also called for a moratorium on data centers.

The details

Edwards says data centers use excessive water and electricity and generate billions while receiving tax breaks. Todd Pownall, who lives along Cole Lake Road in Dallas, says data centers do not belong in residential areas after a large facility was approved next to his property.

November 5, 2026: Article published on the midterm election aftermath and data center opposition.

Big Picture

Edwards's call places a new Public Service Commission member on record against rapid data center approvals in Georgia, with water, power and tax concerns at the center.

Georgia residents living near proposed data center sites could see changes in where these facilities are allowed to be built. Electricity and water usage decisions tied to these projects may affect household utility considerations.

The takeaway

Residents who want a voice in data center siting can follow Public Service Commission proceedings and local zoning decisions that affect their neighborhoods. Officials on both sides agree that the public should have input on where these facilities go.