Data center restrictions tracker · Tennessee

Data center moratoriums and restrictions in Tennessee (2026)

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

As of August 15, 2026, this tracker documents 41 local government actions on data centers in Tennessee, across 36 jurisdictions in 20 counties: 33 moratoria, 5 zoning exclusions, 2 conditions ordinances, and 1 ban. By status: 19 in force, 11 enacted, 7 pending, 2 expired, and 2 replaced.

At the state level, the state has a ratepayer-protection law (enacted).

Data centers in Tennessee used about 2.0 TWh of electricity in 2024; EPRI, Powering Intelligence 2026 (state-level dashboard) projects 8.2 TWh in its 2030, EPRI medium scenario.

Statewide actions in Tennessee

Local actions in Tennessee

Every documented local action in Tennessee in the August 15, 2026 snapshot. Documented actions, not a census.
JurisdictionCountyActionStatusDate
Nashville-Davidson CountyDavidson CountyMoratoriumin forceJuly 24, 2026
Nashville/Davidson CountyDavidson CountyMoratoriumenactedJuly 21, 2026
Unincorporated Hamilton CountyHamilton CountyMoratoriumin forceJuly 15, 2026
Roane CountyRoane CountyMoratoriumenactedJuly 14, 2026
KnoxvilleKnox CountyMoratoriumin forceJuly 7, 2026
Knoxville City CouncilKnox CountyMoratoriumenactedJuly 7, 2026
ShelbyvilleBedford CountyMoratoriumin forceJuly 7, 2026
White CountyWhite CountyMoratoriumin forceJuly 2026
Loudon County CommissionLoudon CountyMoratoriumenactedJune 30, 2026
Loudon CountyLoudon CountyMoratoriumin forceJune 29, 2026
ClintonAnderson CountyMoratoriumin forceJune 22, 2026
Knox CountyKnox CountyMoratoriumin forceJune 22, 2026
Knox County CommissionKnox CountyMoratoriumenactedJune 22, 2026
Knox County, TNKnox CountyZoning exclusionpendingJune 22, 2026
Warren CountyWarren CountyMoratoriumin forceJune 22, 2026
Anderson CountyAnderson CountyMoratoriumin forceJune 15, 2026
Anderson CountyAnderson CountyMoratoriumenactedJune 15, 2026
Cumberland CountyCumberland CountyMoratoriumin forceJune 15, 2026
Morgan CountyMorgan CountyMoratoriumin forceJune 12, 2026
Coffee CountyCoffee CountyMoratoriumin forceJune 9, 2026
McMinnvilleWarren CountyMoratoriumenactedJune 9, 2026
McMinnvilleWarren CountyMoratoriumin forceJune 3, 2026
Cedar HillRobertson CountyMoratoriumenactedJune 1, 2026
Cedar HillRobertson CountyMoratoriumin forceJune 1, 2026
City of Johnson CityWashington CountyMoratoriumenactedMay 22, 2026
Grundy CountyGrundy CountyMoratoriumin forceMay 18, 2026
Jonesborough Board of Mayor and AldermenWashington CountyConditions ordinancependingMay 11, 2026
City of Rocky TopAnderson CountyZoning exclusionpendingApril 1, 2026
Washington CountyWashington CountyMoratoriumin forceMarch 23, 2026
DeKalb CountyDeKalb CountyZoning exclusionpendingMarch 1, 2026
Moore CountyMoore CountyMoratoriumpendingMarch 1, 2026
Sullivan CountySullivan CountyMoratoriumexpiredDecember 18, 2025
BristolSullivan CountyMoratoriumin forceOctober 24, 2025
JonesboroughWashington CountyMoratoriumreplacedOctober 13, 2025
Hawkins CountyHawkins CountyBanin forceSeptember 22, 2025
Memphis City CouncilShelby CountyConditions ordinanceenactedAugust 1, 2025
Johnson CityWashington CountyMoratoriumreplacedJune 5, 2025
Memphis City CouncilShelby CountyZoning exclusionenactedMarch 4, 2025
DeKalb CountyDeKalb CountyZoning exclusionexpiredJune 1, 2024
CrossvilleCumberland CountyMoratoriumpendingundated
SmithvilleDeKalb 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 Tennessee that say no give up this revenue, not the jobs.

Sources

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