Wright County

Moratoriums and bans

1. April 27, 2026 Monticello: Zoning change. After more than six months of drafting and joint workshops with the planning commission, the council voted 4-1 for a zoning ordinance that sets planned-unit-development rules for any future data center, including residential setbacks of 300 feet with full screening or 700 feet without. No formal proposal was before the city at the vote; a developer had earlier floated a technology park of about 1.3 million sq ft near the Bertram Chain of Lakes, in the orderly annexation area. (KRWC 1360, April 29, 2026; City of Monticello, Feb. 25, 2026; City of Monticello, Jan. 22, 2026)
2. May 19, 2026 Wright County: Moratorium. Ordinance 26-2, approved unanimously, pauses applications to build data centers in the county's townships for up to a year, including townships that run their own zoning, while the county writes siting rules. Monticello's own data center ordinance is not affected. (Wright County, May 21, 2026; KRWC 1360, May 26, 2026)

Updates, newest first

1. May 19, 2026 Scannell Technology Park (Monticello) · A one-year data center moratorium took effect; it does not apply to the two proposals already active. (Courier (couriermn.com), Sept. 15, 2026)
2. May 19, 2026 Wright County: Moratorium · Ordinance 26-2, approved unanimously, pauses applications to build data centers in the county's townships for up to a year, including townships that run their own zoning, while the county writes siting rules. Monticello's own data center ordinance is not affected. (Wright County, May 21, 2026; KRWC 1360, May 26, 2026)
3. April 27, 2026 Scannell Technology Park (Monticello) · The council adopted a data center PUD ordinance. (Courier (couriermn.com), Sept. 15, 2026)
4. April 27, 2026 Monticello: Zoning change · After more than six months of drafting and joint workshops with the planning commission, the council voted 4-1 for a zoning ordinance that sets planned-unit-development rules for any future data center, including residential setbacks of 300 feet with full screening or 700 feet without. No formal proposal was before the city at the vote; a developer had earlier floated a technology park of about 1.3 million sq ft near the Bertram Chain of Lakes, in the orderly annexation area. (KRWC 1360, April 29, 2026; City of Monticello, Feb. 25, 2026; City of Monticello, Jan. 22, 2026)
5. March 9, 2026 Scannell Technology Park (Monticello) · As residents spoke against both Monticello proposals at a council meeting, the city said it had seen concepts only and would not take formal data center applications until new rules were adopted; the roughly 100-acre site near Otter Creek Crossing had no approval. (FOX 9, March 9, 2026)
6. Oct. 27, 2025 Scannell Technology Park (Monticello) · DCD reported Scannell's concept: four 320,000 sq ft buildings on 106 acres, which would need annexation and environmental review. (DatacenterDynamics, Oct. 27, 2025)

Statewide

Minnesota's data center sales tax exemption (Minn. Stat. 297A.68, subd. 42) covers enterprise IT equipment and software bought for facilities DEED certifies. A new center must have at least 25,000 sq ft and $30 million invested within 48 months; a refurbished one needs 25,000 sq ft and $50 million within 24 months. Both need backup power, fire suppression and enhanced security. Since 2025 a third tier, the large-scale data center ($250 million within 60 months), also qualifies. (Minnesota Department of Revenue, Aug. 18, 2025; Minnesota Department of Revenue, Oct. 10, 2016) Laws 2025, 1st Special Session, ch. 12 (H.F. 16), signed June 14, 2025 after House (85-43) and Senate (40-26) votes, adds the 'qualified large-scale data center' tier ($250 million or more invested by the facility and its tenants within 60 months starting after June 30, 2025) to the equipment and software exemption. It lengthens the exemption from 20 to 35 years after the first qualifying purchase. It also requires prevailing wages for construction and a green-building certification within three years of opening, and the tax break must be paid back if the certification is not met. (Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes, June 14, 2025; Minnesota House of Representatives, Session Daily, June 9, 2025; Minnesota House of Representatives, New Laws, undated) Electricity used by certified data centers was exempt from sales tax until a separate 2025 tax law (1st Special Session, ch. 13) repealed that exemption for purchases after June 30, 2025. (Minnesota House of Representatives, New Laws, undated; Minnesota Department of Revenue, Aug. 18, 2025) Ch. 12 (2025) also sets an annual fee on qualified large-scale data centers based on peak demand: $2 million for 100-250 MW, rising to $5 million for 750 MW or more. The money goes to the energy and conservation account for low-income energy programs. (Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes, June 14, 2025; Minnesota House of Representatives, New Laws, undated) Water provisions in ch. 12 (2025) apply to data centers expected to use more than 100 million gallons a year (Minn. Stat. 103G.265, 103G.271). DNR can request preapplication information and give a written response on water availability. Permits must carry conditions on public health, conservation and water-use conflicts, and DNR may require an aquifer test. (Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes, June 14, 2025; Minnesota House of Representatives, Session Daily, June 9, 2025) For utility law, ch. 12 (2025) defines a data center as a facility designed for a load of 100 MW or more (Minn. Stat. 216B.02, subd. 11). It tells the PUC to set up a 'very large customer' class by Dec. 15, 2026 and to approve these customers' tariffs and service agreements, so that their costs, including stranded costs, are not passed to other customers (216B.1622). Each utility must also offer a voluntary clean energy and capacity tariff to commercial and industrial customers, who pay its costs (216B.1623). (Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes, June 14, 2025; Minnesota House of Representatives, New Laws, undated; Minnesota House of Representatives, Session Daily, June 9, 2025) Xcel Energy's large-load (very large customer) tariff is PUC docket E-002/M-25-289, filed July 16, 2025. The PUC approved it with changes in May 2026 (announced May 18). The class covers new loads of 100 MW or more, plus 'system-intensive' new loads of 20 MW to under 100 MW. Terms include a 15-year default contract, a 24-month exit notice, and a minimum bill and exit fee raised to 80% of contracted capacity. These customers pay for transmission and distribution upgrades directly, and Xcel must show that each one's supply meets the state's renewable and carbon-free standards. ELPC reports the order also directs Xcel to file a clean energy and capacity tariff by Dec. 1, 2026. (Minnesota Office of the Attorney General, Residential Utilities Division (PUC filing, copy hosted by Legalectric), Oct. 13, 2025; Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, May 18, 2026; Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, undated; Fresh Energy, May 15, 2026; Environmental Law & Policy Center, May 18, 2026) Other PUC large-load dockets: Minnesota Power's very large customer tariff (26-126; the PUC asked for an updated proposal by July 15, 2026), Otter Tail Power's petition for a very large customer class and data center rate (26-211), and two Dakota Electric Association filings: a modified extension-of-service tariff (25-178, approved) and a proposed rate for members of 50 MW or more (26-243). Service agreements under review are Minnesota Power with Harmony Group, a Google subsidiary, for Hermantown (26-159, filed March 26, 2026) and Xcel with Echo Zone, a Google subsidiary, for Pine Island (26-170, filed April 14, 2026); their comment periods ran to Aug. 28 and Sept. 8, 2026. (Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, undated; Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, Sept. 1, 2026) 2026 session bills included S.F. 4298, which would bar state and local permits for data centers until a year after a PUC report due by July 1, 2027; H.F. 5125, which would repeal the 297A.68, subd. 42 exemption; and H.F. 4077, which would bar local governments from signing nondisclosure agreements and cleared a House committee in March 2026. None became law: the Legislature adjourned in May 2026 without passing new data center restrictions, and the NDA ban passed the Senate but stalled in the House. (Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes, March 6, 2026; Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes, May 6, 2026; Minnesota House of Representatives, Session Daily, March 11, 2026; MPR News, June 12, 2026; Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, undated) Minnesota data centers →