After a report that companies were planning to build large data centers in Seattle, Mayor Katie Wilson is considering a moratorium on new data centers. This move is seen as a distraction from other pressing issues, such as high electricity prices and capacity shortages. Critics argue that Seattle's high real estate and electricity prices make large data centres less competitive. The ban could remove the easiest scapegoat for Mayor Wilson's performance and lead to increased electricity prices. However, critics argue that a moratorium is not enough to keep the lights on in Seattle. They also question the future of Seattle Public Utilities, which has announced accelerating price increases and plans to nearly double its capacity from 2,000 to 3,800 megawatts independent of any data centers without them.