A controversial bitcoin mining operation in the Finger Lakes is seeking to transform into a data center despite Gov. Kathy Hochul’s moratorium on new facilities powering the AI boom.

Neighbors of the Greenidge Generation plant have long complained that the facility with more than 20,000 continuously operating computers is a threat to the picturesque region. Now, Greenidge has rebranded as Vulcan Infrastructure and Power, and is asking for 200 megawatts of more power from the grid — enough to power roughly 150,000 homes, according to records from the state grid operator.

“The rapid expansion of AI infrastructure is increasingly constrained by one critical resource: reliable, available…