Bill to protect households from data center energy costs advances in House
The House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously approved the bipartisan Ratepayer Protection Act, which would require large data centers consuming over 100 megawatts to cover the costs of grid upgrades. While the bill has support from both parties, some Democrats argue it does not address water usage or other environmental impacts of data centers. Public opposition remains high, with polls showing a majority of Americans against new AI‑related data center construction in their communities.
- ▪The Ratepayer Protection Act was advanced by Reps. Kathy Castor and Gabe Evans and passed unanimously in the House committee.
- ▪The bill would mandate that large data centers and hyperscalers pay for new generation, transmission, and distribution upgrades needed for their electricity demand.
- ▪Democrats such as Diana DeGette criticize the bill for not addressing water consumption, a concern for drought‑prone western states.
- ▪A Gallup poll found that 70% of respondents oppose building AI data centers in their area, with 48% strongly opposed.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
A House of Representatives panel advanced a bipartisan bill requiring large-load users such as data centers to cover the costs of grid upgrades and other energy system upgrades, a measure meant to ease the growing public opposition toward facilities that support artificial intelligence.The House Energy and Commerce Committee on Tuesday unanimously voted to approve the Ratepayer Protection Act, introduced by Reps. Kathy Castor of (D-FL) and Gabe Evans (R-CO). It would require state regulators to create standards for new data centers and hyperscalers that consume over 100 megawatts of electricity to cover the costs of new generation, transmission, and infrastructure upgrades.
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