Tennessee: data centers & your electric bill
As of October 1, 2026, AI GridWatch tracks 27 data center moratoriums or pushback actions in Tennessee: 25 in force, 2 proposed. The state has 68 tracked data center facilities using an estimated 1.8 TWh of electricity a year.
Everything GridWatch tracks in Tennessee on one page — proposed projects, moratoriums, permits, officials, and the 2026 ballot.
Subscribe by RSS — moratorium changes and community headlines for Tennessee.
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 Tennessee (4)
0 still live · 4 decided or withdrawn.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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| xAI Colossus | Memphis (Shelby County) | 2,000 MW | xAI | Approved | Source read 2026-08-07 |
| Colossus 2 | Memphis | 946 MW | SpaceXAI | Under construction | Source read 2026-08-14 |
| Colossus 1 | Memphis | 340 MW | SpaceXAI | Source read 2026-08-14 | |
| Meta Gallatin | Gallatin | 87 MW | Meta | Source read 2026-08-14 |
2Pushback already happening in Tennessee
| Where | Level | Status | Note | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville | Local | Enactedexpires 2026-12-01 | Metro Council passed the city's first data center regulations plus a permit moratorium; an amendment holds the pause to Dec 1 whether or not the regulations pass | SourceNews read 2026-08-04 |
| Knox County | Local | Enactedexpires 2027-06-22 | 1-year moratorium passed unanimously 10-0 by county commission. Planning commission developing zoning recommendations | SourceOfficial read 2026-08-15 |
| Knoxville | Local | Enactedexpires 2027-07-07 | 1-year moratorium on large data centers (10+ MW peak demand). Pauses permits, building approvals, utility extensions, and development agreements. Expires Jul 7, 2027 or when zoning amendments take effect, whichever is first | SourceNews read 2026-09-29 |
| Johnson City | Local | Enactedexpires 2026-12-03 | Moratorium extended unanimously to Dec 3, 2026 while a special board drafts noise and distance regulations. Data centers limited to I-2 Heavy Industrial zone since 2025. 5,000+ of 6,000 survey respondents 'extremely concerned' | SourceNews read 2026-08-13 |
| McMinnville | Local | Enactedexpires 2027-12-03 | 18-month moratorium, unanimous; prompted by a proposed 25 MW Nvidia GB200 NVL72 AI campus. 2,600+ petition signatures. Town halls scheduled Jun 25 and 29 | SourceNews read 2026-08-13 |
| Anderson County | Local | Enactedexpires 2028-06-15 | 2-year moratorium (unanimous); commission will develop regulations during pause period | SourceNews read 2026-08-19 |
| Carter County | Local | Enactedexpires 2027-08-17 | 1-year moratorium on all AI data centers and cryptocurrency mining centers, passed 20-1 after public comment ran heavily in favour, to let the county study environmental and community impact. The report dates the vote to 'Monday evening' of the week it published; Aug 17 is that Monday | SourceNews read 2026-08-23 |
| Memphis | Local | Proposedterm not documented | 12-month pause on data center rezonings, site plan approvals and building permits, advanced out of committee and passed first reading on a voice vote; further readings are required before it takes effect. Sponsored by council chair Jana Swearengen-Washington with J.B. Smiley Jr. and Yolanda Cooper-Sutton. Would NOT reach xAI's existing Colossus facilities — only new approvals. Some residents are pressing for 18-24 months | SourceNews read 2026-08-23 |
| Bristol | Local | Enactedexpires 2027-10-24 | Two-year moratorium on data processing centers, approved unanimously; effective Oct 24, 2025 | SourceNews read 2026-09-06 |
| Cedar Hill | Local | Enactedexpires 2028-06-01 | Two-year moratorium on data centers and cryptocurrency mining; first Robertson County city to act | SourceNews read 2026-09-06 |
| Clinton | Local | Enactedexpires 2026-12-22 | Six-month moratorium on new data centers, approved unanimously; applies within city limits only | SourceNews read 2026-09-06 |
| Grundy County | County | Enactedexpires 2028-05-18 | Two-year moratorium on data centers, crypto mining, and high-impact data processing in unincorporated areas; approved unanimously by county commission | SourceNews read 2026-09-06 |
| Morgan County | County | Enactedexpires 2028-06-12 | Two-year moratorium on data centers capable of 10+ MW peak demand; county commission proactive measure, no proposals pending | SourceNews read 2026-09-06 |
| Shelbyville | Local | Enactedfixed term, end date not recorded | Moratorium on data centers and cryptocurrency mining plants; duration not specified in available sources | SourceNews read 2026-09-06 |
| Hamilton County | County | Enactedexpires 2027-07-15 | One-year moratorium on new data centers in unincorporated areas only; does not affect approved Chattanooga projects | SourceNews read 2026-09-06 |
| Warren County | County | Enactedexpires 2027-06-22 | 12-month moratorium on new data center proposals; separate from McMinnville's 18-month city moratorium | SourceRoundup read 2026-09-06 |
| White County | County | Enactedno end date — permanent | Ban on data centers and data mining facilities; did not go through formal zoning process; enforcement challenged by 4.9 MW crypto proposal | SourceNews read 2026-09-06 |
| Gallatin | Local | Proposedterm not documented | City Council voted to move forward with creating a data center moratorium. The Planning Commission recommended a 12-month moratorium; final council vote expected September 2026. A 60-day pause on new data center applications was approved in the interim. | SourceNews read 2026-09-06 |
| Crossville | Local | Enactedexpires 2028-08-12 | Two-year moratorium on data centers and high-density computing, passed on third reading; halts new permits for server farms and crypto mining. Mayor chose moratorium over permanent ban to avoid lawsuits. | SourceNews read 2026-09-11 |
| Coffee County | County | Enactedexpires 2027-06-09 | 12-month moratorium on data centers, approved unanimously with no discussion. Resolution 2026-12. | SourceNews read 2026-09-11 |
| Loudon County | County | Enactedexpires 2026-12-30 | Six-month moratorium on new data centers with 50+ MW peak demand; covers permits, zoning, building approvals, utility extensions, and development agreements. | SourceNews read 2026-09-11 |
| Hamblen County | County | Enactedexpires 2027-07-07 | One-year moratorium on data centers, crypto mining, and high-performance computing with 5+ MW peak demand; exempts First Civil District industrial zone. | SourceOfficial read 2026-09-11 |
| Washington County | County | Enactedexpires 2027-06-30 | One-year moratorium on construction, operation, and permitting of data centers including crypto mines; approved 13-2; through June 30, 2027. | SourceNews read 2026-09-11 |
| Hawkins County | County | Enactedno end date — permanent | Permanent ban on data centers and crypto mining, passed 10-2; expanded 12-0 in July 2026 to all unincorporated areas. Under federal lawsuit from Beacon Center/ExoticRidge Crypto. | SourceNews read 2026-09-11 |
| Spring City | Local | Enactedexpires 2028-07-30 | Two-year moratorium on AI data centers, crypto mining, and high-density computing; halts establishment, construction, expansion, relocation, or operation within corporate limits. | SourceNews read 2026-09-11 |
| Maury County | County | Enactedexpires 2027-07-19 | 12-month moratorium on data centers in unincorporated areas; 24-month amendment rejected on county attorney advice. Hard end date July 19, 2027. | SourceNews read 2026-09-11 |
| Jonesborough | Local | Enactedno end date — permanent | Zoning restriction requiring data centers be at least 1,500 feet from residential structures. | SourceRoundup 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 Tennessee 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.
- Montgomery County — 5 archived headlines
4Known data center campuses in Tennessee
| Operator | Location | Tenant | Filing LLC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery County | Land-acquisition shells: Jet Stream LLC, Sharka LLC | ||
| Meta | Gallatin | Meta | Codename shells: Greater Kudu, Raven Northbrook, Stadion, Wobniar, Pinnacle Mountain |
| xAI (Colossus) | Memphis (Boxtown / President's Island) | xAI (Colossus) | Site/retrofit LLCs (e.g. former Electrolux plant, Memphis) |
| xAI (Colossus) | Memphis (Whitehaven) | xAI (Colossus) | Site/retrofit LLCs (e.g. former Electrolux plant, Memphis) |
⏳ No verification date recorded · changes over months · Source: Operator ownership & filing-LLC naming patterns — compiled from operator releases and county filings, then checked against SEC EDGAR full-text search. Composite, not a single citation: look the entity up yourself before naming it in a filing
Each row carries its own attribution level — first-party rows come from the operator's own site, but colocation and REIT ownership was compiled from trade press and never passed an independent fact-check. Check the attribution column before citing a row.
5Every data center already built in Tennessee
The campuses above are the ones GridWatch tracks by operator and filing LLC. For the full inventory — street addresses of every existing facility, including the smaller colocation and network sites — DataCenterMap keeps a public directory for Tennessee.
Browse the Tennessee 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.
6Your regulator
Tennessee Public Utility Commission — website · file a complaint
Official state energy data: EIA Tennessee electricity profile — generation, prices, and consumption from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
7Where the Tennessee paper trail lives
Air & environmental permits: Tennessee TDEC
Searchable register: TDEC Dataviewers — a public database you can search by facility or permit number.
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.
8Your 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | Bill Lee Republican · Governor | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Bill Hagerty Republican · Senator · on the 2026 ballot | No documented action on data centers located Guardrails Said in Knoxville that data centers will have to invest in grid capacity themselves so consumers are not bearing the burden, responding to East Tennessee moratoriums. sources | site · contact |
| B | Marsha Blackburn Republican · Senator · next on the ballot 2030 | Released the TRUMP AMERICA AI Act discussion draft, which would make data-center operators responsible for the full cost of energy and water infrastructure with no impact on ratepayers. — Sen. Blackburn unveils TRUMP AMERICA AI Act national policy framework (2025) Mixed Her TRUMP AMERICA AI Act framework would make data-center operators bear the full cost of energy and water infrastructure with no impact on ratepayers, and she publicly asked DC Blox to revisit a data-center site next to the Nashville Zoo while backing data centers generally. sources | site · contact |
| — | Diana Harshbarger Republican · Representative 1 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Tim Burchett Republican · Representative 2 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Charles J. "Chuck" Fleischmann Republican · Representative 3 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Scott DesJarlais Republican · Representative 4 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Andrew Ogles Republican · Representative 5 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | John W. Rose Republican · Representative 6 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Matt Van Epps Republican · Representative 7 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | David Kustoff Republican · Representative 8 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Steve Cohen Democratic · Representative 9 | No documented action on data centers located | 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 →
92026 U.S. Senate race
PVI R+14 · Seat held by Bill Hagerty (Republican) · Incumbent renominated
Bill Hagerty (Republican) · 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: $20,500 from 8 committees (FEC, cycle 2026, pulled 2026-08-26) — FEC record
Marquita Bradshaw (Democratic) No record found
No documented statement or action on data centers located. Not scored — see how this page treats silence.
Andrew Gerena (Independent) No record found
No documented statement or action on data centers located. Not scored — see how this page treats silence.
Catherine Whitson (Independent) No record found
No documented statement or action on data centers located. Not scored — see how this page treats silence.
David Sutman Jr. (Independent) No record found
No documented statement or action on data centers located. Not scored — see how this page treats silence.
James Macon III (Independent) No record found
No documented statement or action on data centers located. Not scored — see how this page treats silence.
Jeremy Hearn (Independent) No record found
No documented statement or action on data centers located. Not scored — see how this page treats silence.
Robert Jones (Independent) No record found
No documented statement or action on data centers located. Not scored — see how this page treats silence.
Tharon Chandler (Independent) No record found
No documented statement or action on data centers located. Not scored — see how this page treats silence.
Yoshi Matthews (Independent) 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).
102026 U.S. House races in Tennessee (9)
A documented data-center record exists in 6 of 9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| TN-1 | R+29 | Diana Harshbarger | Diana Harshbarger ★ Kristi Burke Billy Cody Chris Campbell Joshua Ashburn Richard Baker Tyler McClain |
| TN-2 | R+17 | Tim Burchett | Tim Burchett ★ Michaela Barnett Adam Heimerman Bruce Fine |
| TN-3 | R+18 | Chuck Fleischmann | Chuck Fleischmann ★ Anna Golladay Dean Arnold Donnie Ownby Edward Roland Jean Howard-Hill Rodney Joe King |
| TN-4 | R+11 | Scott DesJarlais | Scott DesJarlais ★ Victoria Broderick Jacob Anders |
| TN-5 | R+10 | Andy Ogles | Charlie Hatcher Chaz Molder James Johnson Micheál O'Leary |
| TN-6 | R+13 | John Rose | Johnny Garrett Mike Croley Angus Purdy Christopher Monday |
| TN-7 | R+11 | Matt Van Epps | Matt Van Epps ★ Darden Copeland Andrew Koontz Lowell Reynolds |
| TN-8 | R+10 | David Kustoff | David Kustoff ★ Heidi Kuhn Adam Austill Antonio Futch Henry Ward III Horace Taylor Pamela Moses Wells Blankenship |
| TN-9 | R+9 | Steve Cohen | Brent Taylor Justin Pearson Dennis Clark Michelle Head |
The documented records (6 districts)
TN-1
Diana Harshbarger (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.
TN-2
Tim Burchett (Republican) · incumbent Guardrails
Publicly broke with Trump on data centers, called for local control and military-base siting over residential areas.
- Responded to Trump's warning that communities rejecting data centers risk becoming 'backwards and poor' by saying 'I guess I'm backwards and poor.' Called for more local control and suggested putting data centers in military installations. (2026-08 — 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.
TN-3
Chuck Fleischmann (Republican) · incumbent Guardrails
As Energy-Water Appropriations chair, said TVA customers should not face surprise rate hikes from data center demand.
- As chair of the House Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee, said 'there will be no rate increases without going to the people' regarding TVA rate changes tied to data center demand. (2026-05-27 — 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.
TN-4
Scott DesJarlais (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.
TN-7
Matt Van Epps (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.
TN-8
David Kustoff (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.
11Latest Tennessee data center news
No Tennessee data-center headlines in this week's national scan — local coverage often runs ahead of it.
Search live Tennessee data center news → GridWatch news feed →
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