Community opposition affected timelines for 45 US data-center projects in Q2 2026

Community opposition affected the timelines of 45 US data-center projects in the second quarter of 2026, according to Data Center Watch statistics cited by Bloomberg. The projects had a combined reported value of $68 billion and accounted for 50% of large data centers announced in the US during the period.

Data Center Watch identified 843 community groups opposing data-center developments across 49 states. Approximately 30 states have introduced rules affecting data-center siting, power supply and water use. In some cases, community groups are seeking moratoriums before a construction application is submitted.

The trend was also evident in the first quarter of 2026, when public intervention affected 75 data centers with a combined reported project value of $130 billion. In Tennessee, a single data-center project drew more than 500,000 protest signatures on Change.org during the second quarter.

For developers and operators, the figures point to community engagement and local regulation as material factors in development risk. Alongside securing a site, grid supply and water resources, projects may need to accommodate longer approval processes and greater uncertainty around schedules. The reported shift toward smaller facilities could reflect the relative ease of permitting and lower delivery cost of projects with a more limited scale.

The available data do not specify whether the affected projects were cancelled, delayed or only exposed to a risk of delay. The reported dollar figures represent the aggregate value of projects affected by public opposition, rather than confirmed expenditure or commissioned capacity.