Delaware

Civic/Governance Barriers activates on moratorium-class action (C1) — governance instruments on the electoral, legislative, and regulatory surface (protocol §10; Overview Civic breakout). Weather/Climate activates on extreme-heat large-load curtailment affecting power infrastructure (W3): U.S. DOE Federal Power Act §202(c) emergency orders in 2026 (including Nos. 202-26-23, 202-26-33, 202-26-33a, and 202-26-35) authorized PJM to direct ≥50 MW large loads — the hyperscale data-center profile — onto onsite backup generation during heat-wave reliability emergencies as a last resort before or during EEA Level 3 (DOE Order 202-26-23; DOE Order 202-26-35). Energy/Power and Capital Flows are co-dominant: HS1 for HB233 explicitly directs the PSC to consider whether ratepayers are protected from the economic loss of a STRANDED ASSET (a data center that closes or is never built), requires cost-causation ESAs/TSAs, and cites a 2026 study projecting 2,400 MW of data-center load could raise locational marginal prices ~82% by 2029 — a direct cost-shift/insurability signal (WHYY, May 22 2026; HS1 for HB233 text). Water/Geology stressed via Coastal Zone Act protections and cooling-water concerns.

None identified. No 2026 Delaware federal, state, county, or mayoral race has been documented as data-center-defined; the issue is playing out through the PSC, the General Assembly, and county councils rather than campaigns.

No statewide moratorium/ban enacted. The consequential pause is regulatory: the PSC opened Docket 25-0826 (Order 10816, Sept. 3 2025; formally opened Oct. 15 2025) requiring Delmarva to file large-load tariff pages for 25 MW+ customers BEFORE interconnecting any new large load in Delmarva territory (DE PSC Order 10816; DE PSC notice). Separately, DNREC deemed 'Project Washington' (6M sq ft near Delaware City) PROHIBITED under the Coastal Zone Act (Sussex GOP/DNREC, Feb. 4 2026).

HS 1 for HB 233 (Rep. Burns/Sen. Hansen) passed the House Jun. 17 2026: requires PSC-regulated utilities (incl. Delmarva) to create a separate large-energy-use rate class, mandates Electric Service and Transmission Service Agreements so 50 MW+ users pay full infrastructure/capacity costs, blocks interconnection until approved, and lets data centers be first cut in a blackout absent on-site generation (House Dems; HS1 for HB233 text). HB 445 (Rep. Heffernan) would require large users to produce/procure their own (partly renewable) power within 10 years (Spotlight Delaware). Predecessor SB 205 (Hansen) stalled earlier but its PSC-authority provisions were folded into HS1 for HB233 (Delaware Public Media, Feb. 6 2026).

None identified. No Delaware 2026 data-center ballot measure appears; Ballotpedia's 2026 roundup does not list Delaware.

Project Washington (Starwood Digital Ventures, ~6M sq ft near Delaware City) — DNREC deemed it prohibited under the Coastal Zone Act (Sussex GOP/DNREC); Starwood is an intervenor in the Delmarva large-load tariff docket (Spotlight Delaware, Jan. 15 2026).

Not a dominant stressor; labor voices appear mainly as HB 233 critics (union concerns that strict rules could deter the industry), not as an organizing or displacement story rising to inclusion level (Spotlight Delaware, Jun. 8 2026).

Emerging; Delmarva projects the pipeline could nearly double state power demand (~2 GW combined for studied data centers), but few facilities are operational — the fight is over whether/how they connect (Spotlight Delaware, Jan. 15 2026).

"This is a bill about protecting Delaware ratepayers from increasing electricity costs and decreasing electricity reliability." — Sen. Stephanie Hansen (Delaware Public Media, Feb. 6 2026).

House Dems HB233/HB445; DE PSC Order 10816; WHYY; Spotlight Delaware own-power; Sussex GOP/DNREC; HS1 for HB233 text; DOE Order 202-26-23; DOE Order 202-26-35