Amazon Employees Demand Halt to Data Center Construction in Seattle

This week, the Seattle City Council will vote on a one-year moratorium for the construction of new large-scale data centers. The decision follows protests from local residents and tech company employees, including Amazon engineers, who are concerned about the negative impact of such facilities on the region’s infrastructure and environment.

According to local media, four companies have proposed building five data centers in the city with a combined energy consumption of up to 369 megawatts—equivalent to one-third of Seattle’s average daily electricity usage. These capacities are ten times higher than the current output of all existing data centers in the city. Major issues include rising electricity tariffs, increased strain on water resources, and noise pollution.

Amazon employees advocating for the moratorium emphasize that the industry is expanding without adequate oversight. For instance, Amazon senior software engineer Lizl Wigand noted that companies often overlook environmental consequences in their race for AI leadership. Activists are calling for mandatory standards for new projects, including the use of renewable energy sources and the establishment of AI safety committees.

Some speakers also highlighted social consequences, such as rising unemployment among IT professionals due to automation and worsening housing conditions in the city. Despite resistance from businesses, similar moratoriums are being considered in other U.S. regions, including New York State.