Data-center law in Bermuda
National jurisdiction · as of 2026-09-07
Bermuda has no data-centre-specific siting, permitting or utility statute; a data-centre project instead moves through the general electricity licensing regime and the general land-use planning and environmental-consultation regime.
The Electricity Act 2016 bars a person from engaging in a regulated activity, including generation, transmission, distribution, retail, sale or wholesale purchase of electricity, unless authorised by a licence granted by the Regulatory Authority (established under the Regulatory Authority Act 2011).
The Development and Planning Act 1974 bars undertaking development of land, including quarrying, excavation or building or engineering operations, without planning permission granted by the Development Applications Board, and requires the Minister to arrange public consultation, of no less than twenty-one days, on any environmental impact assessment of a proposed development before making a development order for a class of development.
The Economic Development Act 1968 and the Incentives for Job Makers Act 2011 were not reached in the text read and are not described further here.
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Instruments on record
3 instruments on record, grouped by the family of approval each one governs.
Land use
Who decides whether a data center may occupy a site, and through what approval?
Development and Planning Act 1974, planning permission requirement
In force
Development and Planning Act 1974 (Bermuda), 1974:51, s. 68 (unauthorized excavation, site preparation and development)
Effective 1974-06-27 · Applies to both
Section 68 bars a person from undertaking any quarrying operations, making an excavation preparatory to building or engineering operations, preparing land for building or engineering operations, or undertaking any development of land, unless planning permission for the operations or development has been granted under the Act and is carried out in accordance with that permission and its conditions.
A person who contravenes this restriction, or an owner or occupier who authorises or acquiesces in another person's contravention, commits an offence liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding $25,000, or on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or a fine of $50,000, or both.
Source: Full text of law
Environmental review
What impact review must precede approval, and who leads it?
Development and Planning Act 1974, environmental impact assessment consultation for development orders
In force
Development and Planning Act 1974 (Bermuda), 1974:51, s. 14A (environmental impact assessment consultation)
Effective 1974-06-27 · Applies to government
Before making a development order, a Ministerial instrument that can grant planning permission generally for a class of development, the Minister must arrange public consultation on any environmental impact assessment of the proposed development. The Director and the Board determine how that consultation is conducted, and the consultation period must be no less than twenty-one days.
The Act does not carry a separate, generally applicable environmental impact statement requirement for an individual planning-permission application outside the development-order process.
Source: Full text of law
Energy and grid
What authorizations govern grid connection and onsite generation?
Electricity Act 2016, licensing regime for regulated activities
In force
Electricity Act 2016 (Bermuda), 2016:2, ss. 15-16, 55 (licensing regime and penalties)
Applies to both
Section 16 bars a person from engaging in a regulated activity, defined to include transmission or distribution, generation, large-scale self-supply, retail, sale, or wholesale purchase of electricity, unless authorised by a licence the Regulatory Authority grants under Part 5 of the Act.
Contravening the licensing restriction or the Act's separate prohibited-activities restriction is an offence under section 55, liable on summary conviction to a fine of $25,000 or two years' imprisonment, or both, and on conviction on indictment to a fine of $50,000 or five years' imprisonment, or both, with a further daily fine for a continuing offence.
A distributed generator operating under a Standard Contract with the transmission, distribution and retail licensee may generate electricity without a separate licence for the Contract's term, subject to compliance with the Act, the Building Act 1988, and any other relevant legislation including planning permission requirements.
Source: Full text of law
Every entry cites the instrument it describes.
None of it is legal advice: verify a citation before relying on it. Full
sourcing: read the methodology. The rest of the
record: all jurisdictions.