Pro-data center industry group runs ad campaign in Oregon and six other states to counter pushback on energy use and tax breaks

A new industry-backed group called Oregon Connects has launched a TV and social media ad campaign promoting data centers as drivers of clean energy investment and grid modernization. The group is one of several nonprofits registered by the Data Center Coalition, whose members include Microsoft, Google, and Meta. The ads appear in seven states where local governments are considering policies to slow data center growth due to concerns over energy demand, water use, and tax incentives. The campaign comes as Oregon lawmakers passed a one year pause on a popular tax incentive program for data centers. Critics say data centers consume enormous amounts of electricity and water while creating relatively few jobs compared to the tax breaks they receive. The ads claim data centers are committed to paying their costs so families do not have to, but utility data shows data center demand is driving rate increases for residential customers. For readers tracking grid decarbonization and climate policy, this story highlights the tension between large scale industrial electricity demand and the push to electrify homes and transportation. The outcome of these policy fights will shape how utilities plan for renewable capacity, storage, and transmission buildout in states with heavy data center concentration.