Florida Senate Backs Data Center Guardrails; House Version With Siting Limits Moves Forward

Overview

• Senators approved SB 484 on a 37-0 vote to regulate “large-load” customers defined as facilities with anticipated peak demand of 50 megawatts or more.
• The House companion, HB 1007, advanced to the floor and adds a prohibition on new 50+ MW centers within five miles of homes or schools unless unanimously waived by the local government.
• The bill directs the Public Service Commission to set tariffs ensuring large data centers pay their full grid and interconnection costs and requires financial protections to minimize nonpayment risk.
• Transparency provisions ban nondisclosure agreements with agencies and require public notice when an economic development proposal involves a data center, while reaffirming local land-use authority.
• Environmental and security rules mandate reclaimed water where feasible, hearings and conservation plans for withdrawals of 100,000+ gallons per day, bar service to certain foreign-linked entities, and prevent load-splitting, with most provisions slated to take effect July 1 if enacted.