Maine (a northeastern US state) became the first US state to vote for a moratorium on large data centre construction on 14 April 2026, freezing approvals for facilities requiring more than 20 megawatts of power until October 2027, pending signature by Governor Janet Mills. The measure was driven by surging residential electricity bills — Maine has seen some of the steepest residential energy price increases in the country in recent years — as well as environmental concerns over the water and power demands of AI-related infrastructure. A new coordination council will assess the impact of data centres on the electricity grid, the environment, and household costs before any moratorium can be lifted, and at least eleven other US states are now considering similar legislation, making Maine's law a closely watched test case.