In Development
Data Centers in Missouri
This website is provided for educational purposes and does not represent legal advice. State and federal data center regulations are changing fast, and so are data center technologies and industry practices. While we try to keep this website up to date, we cannot guarantee the information is always 100% current. Please verify the information with your local government, when in doubt.
Frequently Asked Questions
Won't data centers raise my electric bill?
In 2025, the Legislature directed the Public Service Commission (PSC) — which regulates investor-owned utilities — to ensure that serving large new loads doesn’t shift costs onto other customer classes. In January 2026, the Governor issued an executive order directing state agencies, including the PSC, to prioritize ratepayer protection as data center demand grows.
What about our water?
Major water withdrawals in Missouri are registered and managed through the Department of Natural Resources under the state’s Water Resources Law, with a mandatory registration for any user withdrawing 100,000 gallons or more per day from any single source. Site-specific water plans are reviewed during permitting.
Are data centers getting a free ride on taxes?
Missouri’s data center sales and use tax exemption requires certified minimum investment and new job creation to qualify. Projects also still generate local property value, construction employment at scale, and permanent skilled jobs.
What about noise?
Missouri does not set a statewide industrial noise standard. Noise is regulated at the local level — through municipal ordinances and, in unincorporated areas, through county conditional-use permit conditions. These conditions can be verified by third-party acoustical studies. That commitment becomes an enforceable condition of the local permit — not a promise, a permit term.
Who decides where these get built?
Your city and county. Zoning, setbacks, screening, and construction conditions are local decisions made in public meetings. Backup generators require air permits from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources’ Air Pollution Control Program.
What does my community actually get?
Construction jobs through multi-year build-outs, permanent operations jobs, expanded local tax base, and utility infrastructure investment that strengthens the grid for the whole region — under a rate structure legally designed to keep those costs off your bill.
Verify It Yourself
Missouri Portfolio
