FRANKFORT, Ky. — State legislators will host a public listening session on October 1 to address growing concerns about data center development across Kentucky, with residents invited to share their views on projects proposed in their communities.

The Data Center Legislative Listening Session will run from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Room 171 of the Capitol Annex, 702 Capital Ave., according to a release from the Kentucky General Assembly. State Rep. Adam Moore, who represents parts of Fayette and Jessamine Counties, organized the session and said in a statement that residents deserve a voice in decisions affecting their communities.

"People have legitimate questions about what these projects could mean for their utility bills, their communities and their quality of life," Moore said. "Those voices need to be heard by lawmakers as Kentucky decides what comes next."

Communities across the state have raised concerns about data center impacts on infrastructure, utility costs, water consumption, land use, environmental effects, and local government transparency, according to recent analyses. Data centers demand enormous amounts of electricity to power artificial intelligence applications and cloud services, prompting questions about potential increases to utility bills for existing ratepayers.

The state legislature failed to pass data center protections during its 2026 session. In August, Governor Andy Beshear issued an executive order requiring data center developers to demonstrate no detrimental impact on ratepayers or the environment, pay their fair share of local and school taxes, and engage with local communities.

Moore said in a release that he is inviting members of the General Assembly's Natural Resources and Energy Committee and Agriculture Committee to attend the session. The legislator said he has been working on legislation to increase transparency and local control in data center development, modeling his approach on the Nuclear Ready Communities program established by the legislature in 2023.