Data center restrictions tracker · California

Data center moratoriums and restrictions in California (2026)

Data snapshot 2026-08-15 · part of Pricing the Fear of Data Centers

As of August 15, 2026, this tracker documents 19 local government actions on data centers in California, across 17 jurisdictions in 5 counties: 15 moratoria and 4 zoning exclusions. By status: 6 in force, 5 pending, 5 enacted, 2 expired, and 1 replaced.

There is no statewide restriction, incentive rollback, or large-load tariff on record for California in this snapshot.

Data centers in California used about 9.1 TWh of electricity in 2024; EPRI, Powering Intelligence 2026 (state-level dashboard) projects 15.0 TWh in its 2030, EPRI medium scenario.

Local actions in California

Every documented local action in California in the August 15, 2026 snapshot. Documented actions, not a census.
JurisdictionCountyActionStatusDate
Imperial CountyImperial CountyMoratoriumin forceJune 17, 2026
Desert Hot SpringsRiverside CountyMoratoriumin forceJune 16, 2026
Imperial CountyImperial CountyMoratoriumenactedJune 16, 2026
GilroySanta Clara CountyZoning exclusionenactedJune 15, 2026
CoachellaRiverside CountyMoratoriumin forceJune 4, 2026
ImperialImperial CountyMoratoriumexpiredJune 3, 2026
IndioRiverside CountyMoratoriumin forceJune 3, 2026
City of ImperialImperial CountyMoratoriumpendingMay 20, 2026
City of BrawleyImperial CountyMoratoriumenactedMay 19, 2026
Calipatria City CouncilImperial CountyMoratoriumpendingMay 12, 2026
OakleyContra Costa CountyMoratoriumin forceApril 14, 2026
El MonteLos Angeles CountyMoratoriumin forceMarch 18, 2026
Monterey ParkLos Angeles CountyZoning exclusionpendingMarch 4, 2026
MontebelloLos Angeles CountyMoratoriumexpiredFebruary 11, 2026
Monterey ParkLos Angeles CountyMoratoriumreplacedJanuary 21, 2026
City of IndustryLos Angeles CountyZoning exclusionenactedJanuary 15, 2025
Santa ClaraSanta Clara CountyZoning exclusionenactedMarch 6, 2024
CalipatriaImperial CountyMoratoriumpendingundated
IrwindaleLos Angeles CountyMoratoriumpendingundated

What one campus pays a local government

The parent piece's calculator puts a single large campus at $2M to $90M a year in local revenue, depending on the tax regime and abatements. The reference campus (Project Blue scale: $3.6B of capital, 286 MW) pays about $157M to local governments over 10 years. Permanent jobs run around 50 per facility.

Tax regimeReference caseAnnual local revenue, lowAnnual local revenue, high
Aggressive abatementMorrow County OR (enterprise zone)$2M$3M
Partial abatementGeorgia audit representative campus / El Paso Meta$27.8M$56M
Unabated equipment taxVirginia-style rates (Loudoun is the ceiling)$50M$90M

Run your own numbers in the calculator on the parent piece. Jurisdictions in California that say no give up this revenue, not the jobs.

Sources

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