Durham County Data Center Moratorium Would Set Conditions for Smaller Projects

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Durham County's proposed nine-month data center moratorium would halt applications for large new or expanded facilities through May while allowing certain projects of up to 100,000 square feet to move forward under water-use and backup-power restrictions.

Under the draft ordinance, set for a public hearing before the Durham County Board of Commissioners on Monday, a new data center of no more than 100,000 square feet would be exempt only if it uses a closed-loop cooling system, or technology providing an equal or greater reduction in drinking-water consumption, and relies exclusively on non-diesel backup power.

County officials indicated that at least two data center projects below that threshold are close to submitting development applications.

The proposal would otherwise stop Durham County from accepting, reviewing, or approving development applications from new or expanded data centers, data-processing facilities, cryptocurrency mining operations, artificial intelligence computing facilities, and related uses.

If approved, the pause would start on Aug. 25 (Tuesday) and continue through May 18, 2027, unless commissioners adopt new data center regulations before that deadline. It would apply to unincorporated Durham County and other areas within the county's planning and zoning jurisdiction. The City of Durham has its own moratorium, also scheduled to end in May.