Updated November 2, 2026
The conversation around data centers in Eastern Kentucky has rapidly picked up pace since we first wrote about them in November 2025 and looked at the Kentucky General Assembly’s proposals in March 2026. To help our community members and local leaders better understand the landscape, we have compiled the resource list below. This list includes Eastern Kentucky counties with current data center moratoriums, resources from partner organizations, notable projects, and feedback from elected officials.
Mountain Association believes in community-led, transparent data center development. That means counties first adopting ordinances and permitting standards that set clear expectations for developers. Once that foundation is in place, a next step is securing community benefits agreements with developers that reflect local priorities.
In-depth resources about data center development and impact:
- Data Center Development Considerations for Kentucky Communities [Blueprint Kentucky]
- The Rapid Growth of Data Centers [Kentucky Conservation Committee]
- See where data center developers are looking to build in Kentucky [Kentucky Lantern]
- Data centers in Kentucky: Resources & Information [Kentucky Resources Council]
- In Eastern Kentucky, data centers hold worry, promise as energy bills continue to climb [WEKU]
- Kentucky Data Centers: Projects & Local Regulations
- Toolkit | Understanding Community Benefits Agreements for Data Centers: A Toolkit for Kentucky Communities and Extension Professionals [Blueprint Kentucky]
- Data Centers and Brownfields: Can Abandoned Sites be Transformed Into Advanced Industrial Zones Where Co-Located Industries Share Energy, Waste Management and Other Services? [Reimagine Appalachia]
The largest two electrical providers in the region’s pages on data centers:
- East Kentucky Power Cooperative: Data Centers
- Kentucky Power: Data Centers Help Support Long-Term Affordability
As of August 2026, ten out of fifty-four Appalachian counties in Kentucky have passed data center moratoriums. Additionally, Governor Beshear has issued an Executive Order on Data Centers:
Beshear issues executive order to protect against ‘harmful impacts’ of data centers
- Adair | Six-month halt on data centers in effect in City of Columbia [July 8, 2026]
- Bell | Bell County passes data center moratorium, halting construction for 2 years [July 2, 2026]
- Boyd | Boyd County freezes new data centers for six months, but EastPark project is exempt [July 10, 2026]
- Edmonson | Edmonson County Fiscal Court Enacts One-Year Moratorium on New Data Centers, AI Facilities, and Crypto Mining Operations [June 8, 2026]
- Greenup | Greenup County places moratorium on data centers — Hall on TeraWulf, not included in the pause: ‘We would not do anything to harm this county’ [July 17, 2026]
- Laurel | London City Council passes 2-year data center moratorium [August 3, 2026]
- Letcher | County orders two-year halt on data centers [July 22, 2026]
- Metcalfe | Data Center Moratorium Passed [July 27, 2026]
- Nicholas | The Court approved a one-year moratorium on data centers and windmills in Nicholas County [July 10, 2026]
- Russell | Update from Mayor Simpson Regarding Data Center Moratorium in Russell [July 10, 2026]
Notable Projects:
- Boyd County: TeraWulf announces plans to build data center in Boyd County, Kentucky [WCHS / May 27, 2026]
- Boyd/Greenup County: Kentucky’s biggest data center project to date eyes former steel mill [Courier Journal / July 22, 2206]
- Letcher County: Eastern KY officials sign secretive deal with data center venture to explore off-grid power [Herald Leader / July 16, 2026]
- Pike County: City leaders evaluating proposed data center in Pikeville, Ky. [WCHS / June 23, 2026]
News related to the Kentucky General Assembly’s and data centers:
- OPINION: KENTUCKY CAN LEAD ON DATA CENTERSWITHOUT LEAVING COMMUNITIES BEHIND [Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers (R-Manchester) / August 3, 2026]
- Is Kentucky About to Give Billions in Tax Breaks to Data Centers? [KyPolicy / July 23, 2026]
