A large data center is in the works in southern Maine, Sen. Matt Harrington, R-York, told fellow state lawmakers Thursday, but the details of the project are unclear.

Harrington brought up the project as he and other members of the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee discussed a potential moratorium on new data center development in the state.

But Harrington said such a moratorium “would harm” a data center proposed in his district “that’s well along in the planning process.” Though he did not specify where the center is aimed for, Harrington’s district includes Alfred, Lebanon, Sanford and Waterboro.

Neither Harrington nor a spokesperson provided additional details on the project Friday.

“They already own the land. They’re well on their way in the planning process,” Harrington told the committee. “They have not, to my knowledge, pulled any permits. But they have been meeting with everyone who they need to meet with.”

He said the project would likely have a 100-300 megawatt capacity and provide “100 long-term jobs.” It would generate its own electricity on-site, he said.

Data centers — facilities that house computers to store data and run online applications and services —  require significant amounts of power to operate. As they rise in prevalence, they could consume up to 12% of the country’s total electricity usage by 2028, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Rep. Melanie Sachs, D-Freeport, had proposed the moratorium as an amendment to LD 307, her bill to create a council that would study and review the impact of building data centers in Maine.

The proposed pause would apply to projects with loads of 20 MW or more and which have not gotten “permits, licenses, lease agreements or certificates” issued before July, according to the latest language. It would last until July 2028.

‘MEETING WITH EVERYONE’

Harrington did not name the entity behind the proposed center in his district, but said it had already met with members of the Department of Energy Resources and a local water district — likely the Sanford Water District.

“The water district is actually excited to have this in town to use water at the volume they would be, because it would help water ratepayers in Sanford as well,” he said.

Caroline Colan, a legislative liaison for the energy resources department, confirmed the meeting mentioned by Harrington, but said she could not provide further details.

“I was not part of that meeting, (but) our staff did meet with them and have talked with a few other data centers,” Colan told lawmakers. She did not specify exactly whom the department met with.

A department spokesperson said staff regularly meet with interested parties about potential energy projects.

“(The department) has had modest outreach from entities exploring the establishment of data centers in Maine,” Communications Manager Afton Vigue wrote in an email Friday. “These discussions have been about projects in varying states of maturity and covered a variety of topics.”

She declined to say exactly when the meeting Harrington referenced took place.

“Unless (the department) becomes aware that a developer has filed a permit request or other formal application for their project, we generally defer to developers to speak about their plans,” Vigue said.

David Parent, superintendent of the Sanford Water District, said he had not heard of any such project. But the district frequently gets calls asking about its capacity, he said.

“We don’t necessarily ask why they want the water,” he said. “If they want water, we’d be happy to sell them any.”

He referred additional questions to the Sanford Regional Economic Growth Council. So did Maura Herlihy, Sanford’s deputy mayor.

Keith McBride, the council’s executive director, declined to provide details or say whether he had heard of any proposal.

“We are not able to comment at this time,” McBride wrote in an email Friday afternoon.

GROWING INTEREST IN MAINE

Maine has seen an uptick in data center proposals in recent months. Some, including in Wiscasset and Lewiston, have fizzled out or been shot down. But not all.

The state’s first large-scale data center is currently in development at the former Loring Air Force Base in Limestone. That center will begin operations with five to six megawatts of power, but could scale up to 50 at full capacity, the County reported. That’s significantly less than the 100-300 MW range Harrington outlined for the southern Maine proposal.

Experts have warned that the skyrocketing demand for electricity could hike rates for other ratepayers.

Sachs’ bill would create a “Data Center Coordination Council” within the energy resources department.

That body would be tasked with identifying strategies to protect electric ratepayers and the environment from negative impacts. It would also offer guidance to municipalities considering new data centers, according to the latest language.

Though it includes a moratorium, the bill is “designed not to discourage known projects like Loring,” Sachs said in an email Friday.

Staff Writer Abigail Driscoll contributed to this story.