Massachusetts puts 25 MW data centers on clean-power hook

Massachusetts will make data centers above 25 megawatts bring their own clean power or pay into a ratepayer-protection fund, with the governor’s office clarifying that the requirement covers 100% of electricity demand. The state’s executive-order expectations and TechCrunch’s report on the rule also describe local approval, community benefits, and a pause on a data-center sales-tax exemption. For builders, 25 MW is now a permitting and unit-economics breakpoint in Massachusetts: forecast clean generation, grid costs, and public disclosure before treating a site as available, adding another constraint to AI data centers’ grid and household-bill exposure.