House amendment to the 4th edition makes the following changes.

Amends the following by adding that data center does not include a facility or part of one containing electronic equipment that is incidental to and used in support of a business whose primary business activity is not the storing, retrieving, managing, and processing of digital data: (1) new GS 160D-974, (2) new GS 143-355.5A, (3) new GS 64-64, (4) new GS 62-142.1, and (5) new GS 155-7.1(i).  

Removes the previous content of proposed GS 143-355.5A and replaces it with the following. Requires the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to adopt rules establishing water use standards for data centers to ensure the protection of surface water and groundwater resources. Provides that these standards: (1) may require data centers to employ closed-loop or reclaimed water systems as necessary to avoid impacts to areas with water availability concerns; and (2) must not permit a data center to use an evaporative cooling system (as defined). Defines a data center as a facility, campus of facilities, or array of interconnected facilities used by an entity or other business enterprise for the primary purpose of storing, retrieving, managing, and processing digital data, which has a peak monthly electricity demand of 100 megawatts or greater; excludes a facility or portion of a facility containing electronic equipment that is incidental to and used in support of a business whose primary business activity is not the storing, retrieving, managing, and processing of digital data. Requires DEQ to adopt permanent rules to implement this section by September 1, 2026. Specifies that the rules will apply only to data centers for which no local development approvals or State permits, certifications, or authorizations have been issued for siting of the data centers on or before the date the rules become effective.

Amends proposed GS 64-64 by expanding upon the criteria to be met in order to be excluded from the definition of prohibited foreign party to also include a US domiciled subsidiary of an entity that meets the already listed exemption criteria.

Removes the proposed changes to GS 62-133.8 (Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard).

Requires that the Utilities Commission (Commission) delay the required compliance with GS 62-133.8(e) (compliance with CEPS requirement through use of swine waste resources) by the Electric Membership Co-operatives and Municipal Electric Providers (the Systems) until January 1, 2029, unless the systems request the ability to execute a contract for this purpose at an earlier date. Requires that the Commission, by January 1, 2029, start a process to review the reasonableness of the proposed costs of the associated renewable energy credits, and the costs to be passed on to the ratepayers, before executing a contract between the systems and a swine waste generator. Requires that reasonableness of the costs being proposed to include the costs of other renewable energy credits. Prohibits the systems from passing along any costs to the ratepayers deemed by the Commission to be unreasonable.

Amends Section 8 of the act by changing responsibility for issuing the request for proposals for the study on utility policies, from the Legislative Services Officer to the North Carolina Collaboratory. Makes conforming changes.