The construction plan, worth 20 trillion yen, has been delayed or halted for three months due to the activities of those opposed to the data center.

Developing and operating AI requires massive computing resources, and plans for building data centers are underway worldwide to meet the demand for AI. On the other hand, opposition to data center construction is also gaining momentum, and it has been revealed that 75 projects were halted or postponed in the three months from January to March 2026 alone.

Data Center Watch Report Q2 2025 UPDATE — Data Center Watch
https://www.datacenterwatch.org/q1-2026

Data center opposition is sharply rising in 2026, study finds
https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/data-center-opposition-sharply-rising-2026-study-finds-rcna349728

Developing AI requires large amounts of high-performance GPUs and memory, and operating the service also requires large amounts of high-performance GPUs, CPUs, memory, and storage. For this reason, many technology companies, including OpenAI and Meta, are proceeding with plans to build data centers. On the other hand, data centers have a drawback that local residents cannot ignore: they require large amounts of water, electricity, and land. In May 2026, a survey was published showing that 70% of Americans oppose the construction of AI data centers in their communities.

70% of Americans oppose the construction of AI data centers in their communities - GIGAZINE

AI research institute 10a Labs is conducting a project called ' Data Center Watch ' that analyzes opposition to data center construction, and has released its report for the first quarter of 2026 (January-March).

According to the report, at least 75 projects were halted or delayed in the three-month period from January to March 2026 due to activities by data center opponents. The total value of the halted or delayed projects amounts to $130 billion (approximately 20 trillion yen), which is equivalent to the total value of all projects in 2025.

The report also indicates that structural changes such as 'communities developing strategies for protests' and 'introducing uncertainty into regulations by state legislatures' are increasing the effectiveness of opposition movements. In 49 US states, the number of active opposition groups more than doubled compared to the previous quarter, and more than 300 data center-related state bills were introduced in the first six weeks of 2026.

In the United States, there is a growing movement to regulate the construction of data centers, and on June 5, 2026, the New York State Legislature passed a bill to 'halt the construction of new large-scale data centers for one year.' As of the time of writing, the bill is awaiting the governor's signature, and if signed, it will be the first state law to call for a halt to data center construction.

New York State Legislature passes bill to halt construction of new large-scale data centers for one year; if signed by the governor, it will be the first such measure in the entire state - GIGAZINE

There are also moves toward regulation in Congress, with Democratic Representative Adam Schiff introducing a bill in May 2026 that would require energy-intensive facilities such as data centers to bear the costs necessary to strengthen the power grid.

NEWS: Sen. Schiff Unveils Major Legislation to Ensure Fair and Affordable Energy Costs for Americans Amid Data Center Buildouts
https://www.schiff.senate.gov/news/press-releases/news-sen-schiff-unveils-major-legislation-to-ensure-fair-and-affordable-energy-costs-for-americans-amid-data-center-buildouts/