EU VP: More AI Data Centers Needed but Grid Strain Must Be Avoided; US Local Ballots Restrict Development

European Commission Executive Vice President Henna Virkkunen said in a Reuters interview on November 5 that Europe requires more data centers to build autonomous artificial intelligence (AI) computing capabilities, but construction must be managed carefully to avoid skyrocketing electricity bills for residents, power outages, or environmental damage. Her comments came amid coordinated protests by the 'Stop Dirty Data Centres' coalition across 16 European countries demanding moratoriums on large-scale AI data center development.

In the United States, opposition to data centers has translated into political action during the November 3 midterm elections. According to tracker website Data Centers on the Ballot, there were 47 local referendums related to data centers. Of the 45 counted as of November 8, restrictions on development won 44 times, while pro-development measures won only once. These issues covered bans on construction, permitting pauses, and land-use controls, indicating that public concern over the energy and environmental footprint of AI infrastructure is substantially hindering project deployment.