North Carolina has seen over 30 local jurisdictions enact temporary data center moratoriums throughout 2026 amid surging demand from artificial intelligence workloads, which strain electricity grids served by Duke Energy and local water supplies. Communities including Raleigh, which adopted a six-month pause on October 6, Charlotte, Durham, and Chatham County have paused new large-scale projects to study zoning, noise, and environmental impacts while state law restricts permanent bans or downzoning of active developments. A recent Chatham Superior Court ruling permitting a developer’s project to proceed despite a county moratorium highlights legal risks that could limit further local restrictions. No statewide moratorium legislation has advanced, keeping trader focus on whether coordinated state action emerges before year-end amid ongoing local hearings and extensions.