As artificial intelligence fuels a new wave of data center construction, almost half of North Carolina residents are trying to stop it before it reaches their neighborhoods.
Their concern is that the digital boom comes with very physical demands on local water supplies, electricity systems, and land use.
What's happening?
A March 2026 poll conducted by Elon University found that 44% of surveyed North Carolina residents were against a data center being built in their area. The poll's findings showed that the opposition was prominent across party lines, race, and age.
At the center of the dispute is a broader issue now surfacing across many states: When tech infrastructure expands, who gets the benefits and who takes on the costs?
"Many data centers are going up because demand for computing is climbing on every front, and AI has poured on fuel," Forbes reported.
Newer AI tools typically need more computing power than traditional online activity, which is pushing companies to expand their data center footprints more aggressively.
TCD Picks » Good Store Spotlight
Get 10% off your next purchase with code TCD10
This shift has turned land-use and utility planning questions that once drew little notice into major local concerns, especially in places that appeal to developers because they offer available land, existing grid access, or a business-friendly climate.
Why does it matter?
AI and the energy grid are now closely connected.
On one hand, AI can help utilities forecast demand, manage batteries, improve building efficiency, and support renewable energy systems. On the other, the same technology depends on data centers that can consume enormous amounts of electricity and water, raising concerns about higher bills, increased grid stress, fossil fuel dependence, security issues, and other unintended consequences.
Large facilities may require new substations, transmission upgrades, and water infrastructure while also prompting concerns about noise, diesel backup generators, and added pressure on local resources during periods of extreme heat or drought.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
While data centers can generate tax revenue, they don't always create the same number of permanent jobs as other major developments. That can make communities more skeptical when the tradeoff includes lasting energy and water demands.
What's being done?
Residents are turning to one of the most direct tools available to them: local participation.
Public hearings, zoning debates, and county meetings can all influence whether projects move forward, face delays, or must meet stricter conditions.
Local leaders, meanwhile, can press for more answers before approving new facilities. That can include requiring clearer reporting on water use, grid demand, backup power plans, noise mitigation, and whether developers will help pay for infrastructure upgrades instead of shifting those costs onto the public.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
