By Ciara Perez, Senior Multimedia Correspondent
iSkyNews.com (ISN) – Published May 8th, 2026
DeSantis Targets "Hyperscale" Data Centers in Lakeland Signing; Moves to Shield Resident Power Bills
LAKELAND, Fla. — Florida residents won't be picking up the tab for the massive energy and water needs of big tech's data centers if a new law signed today has anything to say about it.
Governor Ron DeSantis visited Lakeland on Thursday to sign SB 484, a legislative "shield" designed to keep the costs of these massive "hyperscale" facilities away from everyday taxpayers and small business owners. As Florida continues to grow as a tech hub, the move signals a firm boundary: tech giants are welcome, but they have to pay their own way.
“Today in Lakeland, I signed legislation to protect our citizens and communities from hyperscale data centers," Governor DeSantis told the crowd. "These are much-needed protections for taxpayers and our natural resources. SB 484 ensures that local governments maintain the authority to reject data center development in their communities, prevents data center costs from being passed on to consumers... and protects Florida’s water resources."
What This Means for Your Monthly Bill
The core of this bill is about the "bottom line" for Floridians. Hyperscale data centers are notorious energy and water hogs. Under SB 484, utility companies are strictly prohibited from passing the infrastructure and electricity costs of these centers onto residential customers. In short: if a massive server farm moves into the neighborhood, your power bill shouldn't spike to pay for their grid upgrades.
Beyond the wallet, the law addresses "home rule." It ensures that local city and county commissions keep the final say over zoning and land use. If a community feels a data center doesn’t fit their vision or environmental standards, they now have the explicit legal backing to set stricter rules or deny the project entirely.
Security and Transparency
The bill also carries a heavy security component. It blocks utilities from serving any data center owned or controlled by "foreign countries of concern." Additionally, once initial exemption periods end, the details of these development deals must be made public—ending the era of "secret" tech negotiations behind closed doors.
To protect the state's most precious resource, the law also streamlines the permitting process while pushing these facilities to use reclaimed water instead of tapping into the fresh water supply.
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