Roy Cooper, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in North Carolina, is shifting his stance on data centers as he campaigns on making everyday costs more affordable for consumers. Once a vocal supporter of data center expansion during his eight years as governor, Cooper now says these facilities should bear more of their own power costs to prevent rate increases for residential customers.
Cooper's campaign has centered on the phrase "make stuff cost less," and the data center issue fits that framework. The facilities, which power artificial intelligence operations and cloud computing, consume significant amounts of electricity—drawing scrutiny from utility regulators and state officials across the country.
What the Left Is Saying
Cooper has framed his position as protecting everyday North Carolinians from rising utility bills. "We need to make sure data centers pay for their own power and we need to encourage them to build their own energy sources because right now that's causing rates to go up for consumers and we can't have that," Cooper said in an interview with local media.
North Carolina's current governor, fellow Democrat Josh Stein, has taken a similar stance against utility rate increases tied to data center growth. "Duke Energy's proposed rate hike is simply too high and comes as the company is also retreating on more affordable clean energy. At a time when families are struggling to make ends meet, we should be doing everything we can to make life more affordable, not less," Stein said at a press conference earlier this year.
Progressive advocates have echoed these concerns, arguing that large tech companies should internalize the costs of their massive electricity consumption rather than passing them on to residential ratepayers. Environmental groups have also raised concerns about data center water usage and carbon footprints in addition to power demands.
What the Right Is Saying
Republicans have pointed to Cooper's previous enthusiasm for the same data centers he now criticizes. During his governorship, Cooper actively celebrated major tech investments in North Carolina, including Apple's 2019 announcement of a campus in the Research Triangle.
"Innovation has long been North Carolina's calling card and Apple's decision to build this new campus in the Research Triangle showcases the importance of our state's favorable business climate," Cooper said at the time. He also touted estimates that the project would create 3,000 jobs and benefit communities across the state.
Conservative commentators have highlighted what they characterize as an inconsistency in Cooper's position. North Carolina Republicans argue that Cooper spent years courting these exact data center investments and now wants to impose new costs on the industry he once championed. They note that the tax incentives attracting these facilities were largely established before Cooper took office, raising questions about his role in their expansion.
What the Numbers Show
According to research from CBRE, a commercial real estate firm, North Carolina experienced a 15-fold jump in data center construction during Cooper's tenure as governor from 2017 to 2025. The growth was largely attributed to favorable tax incentives already embedded in state law.
In 2016—before Cooper became governor—the state implemented statute G.S.105-164.13, which expanded data center tax exemptions on sales, servers, storage, and networking equipment. To qualify for these exemptions, companies must invest at least $75 million in projects over five years.
Apple's deal with North Carolina included an $845 million Job Development Investment Grant over 39 years, plus an additional $112.4 million directed to a rural infrastructure development fund. State records show that between 2015 and 2025, 37 companies secured state tax exemptions under the data center program. Other major employers including Meta, Microsoft, Google, and Corvid Technologies all completed or announced data center projects during Cooper's governorship.
Corvid Technologies received a $9 million reimbursement from the state spread over 12 years to construct two three-story data centers in Mooresville, partnering with Duke Energy on the project.
The Bottom Line
Cooper's pivot illustrates a broader trend among Democratic candidates nationwide, as both parties seek to address rising utility costs that have drawn voter concern. Data center electricity demand is projected to grow significantly as AI technologies expand, putting pressure on power grids and potentially affecting residential rates.
The political calculation for Cooper involves appealing to voters concerned about energy bills while managing questions about his previous support for the same industry. His Republican opponent in the Senate race will likely seek to contrast Cooper's current stance with his record as governor who actively pursued data center investments as an economic development strategy.
What remains unclear is whether Cooper would support specific legislation or regulatory changes at the federal level regarding data center power pricing, or whether his comments reflect a broader campaign message rather than a detailed policy platform.