Source: TechCrunch
Governor Healey's executive order shifts the infrastructure burden from grid operators to data center operators by requiring facilities above 25MW to self-supply 100% renewable energy, effectively pricing out companies unwilling to invest in on-site generation or long-term renewable contracts. The move tests whether regulatory guardrails can decouple hyperscaler growth from grid strain—a problem intensifying as AI training and cloud computing demand outpaces regional transmission capacity. Massachusetts is forcing a choice: locate elsewhere or commit to genuine decarbonization rather than purchasing offsets.