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2026-09-17 10:28:10
[US House Passes Electricity Payer Protection Act: Requires States to Consider Data Centers Bearing Electricity Costs, But Does Not Mandate Regulation] (1) The US House of Representatives passed the bipartisan Electricity Payer Protection Act on Tuesday by a vote of 417 to 3, aiming to protect the public from rising electricity costs associated with data centers. The bill was introduced by Florida Democratic Representative Custer and Colorado Republican Representative Evans. (2) The bill requires states to consider adopting standards that allow technology companies to bear the full cost of additional power generation and infrastructure for large data centers, but does not mandate state regulation, only requiring hearings within two years of the bill's enactment. (3) Supporters say this is a strong push that could prompt states to protect consumers. Kentucky Republican Representative Guthrie said that it should be ensured that companies building data centers, not American households and small businesses, pay for their electricity. (4) Critics say the bill is weak and unlikely to bring significant change at a time when AI data centers could drive up electricity costs and disrupt grid stability. Michigan Democratic Representative Tlaib said he does not support it and advocates for a nationwide data center moratorium and a ban on building data centers on federal land. (5) The Senate has a matching bill but has not yet voted on it. Former Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Commissioner Clements said the bill is a good step but not enough; it overlaps with recent FERC orders in some states, and states not covered should at least initiate procedures to consider it.
