Colorado: data centers & your electric bill
As of October 1, 2026, AI GridWatch tracks 17 data center moratoriums or pushback actions in Colorado: 12 in force, 4 proposed, 1 expired, rejected or rescinded. The state has 70 tracked data center facilities using an estimated 1.8 TWh of electricity a year.
Everything GridWatch tracks in Colorado on one page — proposed projects, moratoriums, permits, officials, and the 2026 ballot.
Subscribe by RSS — moratorium changes and community headlines for Colorado.
As of July 2026 (3m ago) · changes over months · Source: U.S. Data Center Power Map by State — ElectricChoice.com compilation (updated July 2026; CC-BY 4.0). Underlying load research: LBNL 2024 US Data Center Energy Usage Report; rates: EIA
Facility counts vary by directory because each one draws the boundary differently — DataCenterMap lists 44 in Alabama where this table says 35, since it counts small network rooms alongside hyperscale campuses. Cite the TWh figure rather than the facility count when you can; it is the number that speaks to grid impact. Underlying load research is LBNL-2001637 (Dec 2024).
1Proposed data centers in Colorado (2)
1 still live · 1 decided or withdrawn. Each name links to the full dossier — ownership, intelligence log, and where to read the paper trail.
| Project | Where | Size | Behind it | Stage | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Project Taurus (Raeden) | Colorado Springs (El Paso County) | — | Raeden | In review | Source read 2026-08-07 |
| CoreSite DE3 (Denver) | Globeville-Elyria-Swansea (Denver) | 75 MW | CoreSite | Under construction | Source |
2Pushback already happening in Colorado
| Where | Level | Status | Note | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | Local | Enactedexpires 2027-05-21 | 1 year or until updated data center regulations are adopted | SourceNews read 2026-08-04 |
| Lochbuie | Local | Enactedexpires 2031-07-21 | 5-year pause approved 6-1 — the longest active moratorium in Colorado. Residents cited drought as the driving concern | SourceNews read 2026-08-04 |
| Broomfield | Local | Enactedexpires 2027-12-02 | Ordinance 2313, passed 9-0. Covers facilities with a projected load of 10 MW or more; runs through Dec 2, 2027 or until permanent rules are adopted | SourceNews read 2026-08-04 |
| Aurora | Local | Rejectedterm not documented | Emergency resolution for a 6-month moratorium on data-center construction failed 6-5, Mayor Mike Coffman casting the tiebreaking vote against; council instead passed a resolution to develop data-center standards (water/zoning) within 35 days, without a pause. | SourceNews read 2026-08-12 |
| Larimer County | Local | Enactedexpires 2027-02-25 | Initial 30-day moratorium extended 6 months after Feb 9 public hearing, then to Feb 25, 2027 on Jul 13, 2026; prohibits land use applications for new data centers in unincorporated county while staff develops regulations | SourceOfficial read 2026-09-04 |
| Boulder County | Local | Enactedexpires 2026-12-02 | Up to 6-month pause on planning applications for data centers and detention centers (unanimous); county reviewing Land Use Code | SourceOfficial read 2026-08-19 |
| Woodland Park | Local | Enactedexpires 2028-01-16 | 18-month moratorium on submitting, accepting, processing, or approving data center applications, adopted to study regulations other Colorado municipalities are writing | SourceNews read 2026-09-02 |
| Monument | Local | Enactedexpires 2027-01-20 | Ordinance 18-2026: 6-month moratorium on accepting or processing data center land-development applications, unanimous -- first municipality in El Paso County to adopt one | SourceNews read 2026-09-02 |
| Archuleta County | County | Enactedexpires 2026-12-16 | Resolution 2026-47; 6-month moratorium on data centers. Unanimous vote. County infrastructure and water cannot support data centers. | SourceNews read 2026-09-06 |
| South Fork | Local | Enactedexpires 2027-06-18 | 1-year moratorium on data center site development plans and zoning permits. No data center applications received; preemptive action. | SourceNews read 2026-09-06 |
| Arvada | Local | Proposedterm not documented | Council directed staff to draft 18-month moratorium after Aug 11 study session. Vote on final language not yet scheduled as of mid-Aug 2026. | SourceNews read 2026-09-06 |
| Loveland | Local | Proposedterm not documented | Council held study session Sep 1 after multiple members expressed interest in emergency moratorium. A company has contacted city about establishing a data center. Larimer County (which contains Loveland) already has its own moratorium through Feb 2027. | SourceNews read 2026-09-06 |
| Jefferson County | County | Enactedexpires 2027-03-19 | Board of Commissioners voted to impose a 10-month moratorium on new data center applications and rezoning; excludes land already zoned for data centers via Planned Development if 1,500+ ft from any dwelling; county to study water, WUI, environmental and community health impacts | SourceNews read 2026-09-07 |
| Longmont | City | Enactedno end date — permanent | Permanent ban on hyperscale data centers >100 MW; caps DC energy at 5% of grid capacity; Ordinance 2026-34; 6-1 vote. | SourceNews read 2026-09-11 |
| Phillips County | County | Enactedexpires 2026-12-31 | Moratorium on data center facility applications in unincorporated areas; extended Aug 20 through Dec 31, 2026. | SourceNews read 2026-09-20 |
| Thornton | City | Proposedterm not documented | City Council majority favored 6-12 month moratorium at planning session; formal ordinance vote not confirmed. | SourceNews read 2026-09-11 |
| Commerce City | City | Proposedterm not documented | Council voted 7-0 to direct staff to draft six-month moratorium ordinance; first reading scheduled for late Aug 2026. | SourceNews read 2026-09-11 |
As of August 2026 (2m ago) · changes weekly — re-check before citing
Illustrative rather than exhaustive — dozens of localities churn weekly, and this tracks the ones we have read a source for. **Each row carries its own provenance.** Rows showing a verification date link to the ordinance, the enacting body's own page, or a datable report of the vote, and were read on that date. Rows marked *unverified* came from bulk compilation and have not been checked against a primary source — the locality, the year, and the status may all be off. Verify one of those with the town clerk before citing it as precedent. **Expiry is derived, not asserted.** A row with a documented end date flips to *Expired* on its own once that date passes. A time-limited moratorium whose start date was never documented keeps showing as enacted — that is a known gap, not a claim that it is still in force. Moratoriums are also routinely extended, so an expiry date is the earliest it could have ended, not proof that it did.
3Other Colorado communities in the news (1)
Places with archived data-center coverage but no moratorium on file. Grouped automatically from headlines and not verified — a lead worth reading, not a claim to cite.
- Hudson — 7 archived headlines
4Every data center already built in Colorado
GridWatch does not yet track a named hyperscale campus in Colorado, but that does not mean the state has none. DataCenterMap keeps a public directory of existing facilities — street addresses included — for Colorado.
Browse the Colorado directory →
Two caveats before you cite it at a hearing: it lists facilities that already exist, so a newly proposed campus will not appear; and it counts a small network room the same as a hyperscale campus, so the facility count is not a measure of power draw or community impact.
5Your regulator
Colorado Public Utilities Commission — website · file a complaint
Official state energy data: EIA Colorado electricity profile — generation, prices, and consumption from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
6Where the Colorado paper trail lives
Air & environmental permits: Colorado CDPHE — Air Pollution Control Division
No searchable register. Colorado does not publish a permit database you can query. A public-records request to the agency is the only route to the file.
No organised market. There is no interconnection queue to read here; the utility's own resource plan and the PUC docket are the record.
These are places to look, not evidence that anything has been filed. Links were checked on 2026-08-21; search links are queries, not records.
7Broomfield — City Council
Meets: See the city's published council meeting calendar · George Di Ciero City and County Building, Broomfield, CO — check the council calendar for time and room
Public comment: See 'Participate in City Council Meetings' (broomfield.org/467) for how to give public comment; meetings are also streamed.
Source: https://www.broomfield.org/954/Council-Members · as of 2026-08-07
8Colorado Springs — City Council
Meets: See council calendar; Sep 17 special hearing at 9:00 a.m. at Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts · City Hall (regular); Pikes Peak Center, 190 S. Cascade Ave. (Sep 17 special hearing)
Public comment: Sep 17 hearing: 120 speakers max, 2 min each. Sign up by email to allcouncil@coloradosprings.gov with name, address, and support/oppose position.
Source: https://coloradosprings.gov/get-know-your-councilmembers · as of 2026-08-18
9Your federal delegation and governor
Grades cross party — this is an issue axis, not a partisan one. A blank grade means no documented action was located, never that the official is neutral.
| Grade | Official | Documented action (sourced) | Reach them |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | Jared Polis Democratic · Governor | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | John W. Hickenlooper Democratic · Senator · on the 2026 ballot | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Michael F. Bennet Democratic · Senator · next on the ballot 2028 | No documented action on data centers located Guardrails Bennet's campaign for Colorado governor commits to requiring new data centers to cover the cost of the energy they use and help finance the infrastructure they need, and to align with state clean-energy and water-conservation goals; as a senator he co-signed an October 2025 letter to DOE noting AI and data centers are driving energy demand. sources | site · contact |
| — | Diana DeGette Democratic · Representative 1 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Joe Neguse Democratic · Representative 2 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Jeff Hurd Republican · Representative 3 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Lauren Boebert Republican · Representative 4 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Jeff Crank Republican · Representative 5 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Jason Crow Democratic · Representative 6 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Brittany Pettersen Democratic · Representative 7 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| A | Gabe Evans Republican · Representative 8 | Lead sponsor of the Ratepayer Protection Act, passed by the House 417-3 (Sep 2026) — large loads pay their own grid-upgrade costs. — House passes H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act, 417-3 (Sep 16, 2026) | site · contact |
Roster: regenerated by scripts/refresh_officials.py (Senate XML + congress-legislators + current governors).
Write to your senators → Your senators in detail → Full officials scorecard → Find your state legislators →
102026 U.S. Senate race
PVI D+6 · Seat held by John Hickenlooper (Democratic) · Incumbent renominated
John Hickenlooper (Democratic) · incumbent No record found
No documented statement or action on data centers located. Not scored — see how this page treats silence.
Tech & utility PAC money: $6,000 from 3 committees (FEC, cycle 2026, pulled 2026-08-26) — FEC record
Mark Baisley (Republican) No record found
No documented statement or action on data centers located. Not scored — see how this page treats silence.
Ballot roster: state candidate list (read 2026-08-25).
112026 U.S. House races in Colorado (8)
A documented data-center record exists in 8 of 8 districts. A candidate with no badge colour has said nothing we could locate — that is a gap in the record, not a neutral position. ★ marks an incumbent.
| District | PVI | Incumbent | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|
| CO-1 | D+29 | Diana DeGette | Melat Kiros Christy Peterson Shimon Blau |
| CO-2 | D+20 | Joe Neguse | Joe Neguse ★ Kelley Dennison |
| CO-3 | R+5 | Jeff Hurd | Jeff Hurd ★ Dwayne Romero |
| CO-4 | R+9 | Lauren Boebert | Lauren Boebert ★ Eileen Laubacher Tim Veldhuizen |
| CO-5 | R+5 | Jeff Crank | Jeff Crank ★ Jessica Killin |
| CO-6 | D+11 | Jason Crow | Jason Crow ★ Jason Clark |
| CO-7 | D+8 | Brittany Pettersen | Brittany Pettersen ★ Tim Bennett |
| CO-8 | EVEN | Gabe Evans | Gabe Evans ★ Manny Rutinel |
The documented records (8 districts)
CO-1
Melat Kiros (Democratic) Guardrails
Democratic Socialist who defeated incumbent DeGette; supports a nationwide moratorium on data center construction.
- Supports a nationwide moratorium on data center construction; ran as a critic of unchecked AI development. (2026-06-30 — source)
Record read 2026-09-11.
CO-2
Joe Neguse (Democratic) · incumbent Consensus vote only
On the record only for voting yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act (417-3). No other data-center record located yet.
- Voted yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act, which passed 417-3 (roll call 312). It directs state utility commissions to consider rate designs making data centers with 100 MW or more of peak demand at one site pay the full incremental cost of the generation and grid upgrades they require. A near-unanimous vote: shown on the record, not scored on its own. (2026-09-16 — source)
Record read 2026-09-22.
CO-3
Jeff Hurd (Republican) · incumbent Consensus vote only
On the record only for voting yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act (417-3). No other data-center record located yet.
- Voted yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act, which passed 417-3 (roll call 312). It directs state utility commissions to consider rate designs making data centers with 100 MW or more of peak demand at one site pay the full incremental cost of the generation and grid upgrades they require. A near-unanimous vote: shown on the record, not scored on its own. (2026-09-16 — source)
Record read 2026-09-22.
CO-4
Lauren Boebert (Republican) · incumbent Mixed
Supports local government authority over data center siting decisions; disagreed with Trump's characterization of DC opponents.
- Stated she won't back Trump's claim that data center opponents are 'backwards and poor'; supports local control over data center decisions. (2026-09-01 — source)
- Voted yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act, which passed 417-3 (roll call 312). It directs state utility commissions to consider rate designs making data centers with 100 MW or more of peak demand at one site pay the full incremental cost of the generation and grid upgrades they require. A near-unanimous vote: shown on the record, not scored on its own. (2026-09-16 — source)
Record read 2026-09-11.
CO-5
Jeff Crank (Republican) · incumbent Consensus vote only
On the record only for voting yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act (417-3). No other data-center record located yet.
- Voted yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act, which passed 417-3 (roll call 312). It directs state utility commissions to consider rate designs making data centers with 100 MW or more of peak demand at one site pay the full incremental cost of the generation and grid upgrades they require. A near-unanimous vote: shown on the record, not scored on its own. (2026-09-16 — source)
Record read 2026-09-22.
CO-6
Jason Crow (Democratic) · incumbent Consensus vote only
On the record only for voting yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act (417-3). No other data-center record located yet.
- Voted yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act, which passed 417-3 (roll call 312). It directs state utility commissions to consider rate designs making data centers with 100 MW or more of peak demand at one site pay the full incremental cost of the generation and grid upgrades they require. A near-unanimous vote: shown on the record, not scored on its own. (2026-09-16 — source)
Record read 2026-09-22.
CO-7
Brittany Pettersen (Democratic) · incumbent Consensus vote only
On the record only for voting yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act (417-3). No other data-center record located yet.
- Voted yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act, which passed 417-3 (roll call 312). It directs state utility commissions to consider rate designs making data centers with 100 MW or more of peak demand at one site pay the full incremental cost of the generation and grid upgrades they require. A near-unanimous vote: shown on the record, not scored on its own. (2026-09-16 — source)
Record read 2026-09-22.
CO-8
Gabe Evans (Republican) · incumbent Guardrails
Lead Republican sponsor of the Ratepayer Protection Act, which would push states to make large loads — data centers included — pay for the generation and transmission they require instead of spreading it across households.
- Introduced H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act, with Rep. Kathy Castor. It directs states and their PUCs to consider standards for connecting large-load customers so those customers, not families and small businesses, cover new generation, transmission and upgrade costs. Cleared House Energy and Commerce 52-0. (2026-07-22 — source)
- H.R. 9340 passed the full House 417-3. It directs state utility commissions to consider rate designs under which data centers with 100 MW or more of peak demand at one site bear the full incremental cost of the generation, transmission and distribution upgrades they require. Now goes to the Senate. (2026-09-16 — source)
Record read 2026-09-22.
Recent mentions (2) — automated, not verified
Headlines that name this candidate and mention data centers or AI. Matched by a script, read by nobody. A mention is a lead, not a record — do not cite one as a position.
12Latest Colorado data center news
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