As of July 1, a proposed bill aimed to regulate data centers in Florida was signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The new law, SB 484, protects ratepayers, the environment, and local communities from harm caused by hyperscale data centers.
Key Provisions
The law will prohibit utilities from passing data center costs, including electricity costs, onto residential and small-business customers. It will also require large-scale users to pay the full cost of service and prevent financial risk from being shifted to the public. Additionally, the law preserves local authority over zoning, permitting, and land use, allowing communities to set stricter standards or deny projects.
SB 484 also ensures data centers are properly classified and regulated, requires public disclosure of data center development deals after the exemption period, and establishes clear legal definitions to prevent loopholes. Furthermore, it prohibits utilities from serving data centers owned or controlled by foreign countries of concern and creates a dedicated permitting process for large-scale data centers.
Florida is welcoming large data centers, but also wants to ensure they do not overuse electricity and water to the point that it creates problems for residents by raising utility bills. The law aims to strike a balance between economic growth and environmental protection.
Original reporting: WESH Orlando — read the source article.
