$130 billion in data center projects blocked by protests so far this year

Data center projects worth approximately $130 billion have been blocked or delayed nationwide in the first quarter of 2026, marking the highest number of such disruptions since tracking began in 2023. According to Data Center Watch, a project by AI intelligence firm 10a Labs, at least 75 projects across 49 states faced opposition between January and March. Researchers attribute this surge not to a cyclical trend but to a "structural shift," citing the increased adoption of protest strategies by communities, the introduction of formal regulatory uncertainty during legislative sessions, and a more than doubling of active opposition groups to 833. This trend indicates that local communities have developed an effective strategy to impede data center construction, as reported by NBC News.