States are cracking down on AI data centers. Your electricity bill is why

Power bills keep rising and data centers keep growing. Eleven states have introduced moratorium bills to slow the expansion

An aerial view of a 33 megawatt data center in Vernon, Calif. A surge in demand for AI infrastructure is fueling a boom in data centers across the country. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Electricity bills near major data center hubs cost as much as 267% more than they did five years ago. Data centers now consume 4% to 5% of all U.S. electricity, and in Virginia, where about 14% of the world's data centers operate, the share already exceeds 25%. Residents have noticed, and legislators have followed. At least 11 states have active moratorium bills, and more than 150 pieces of energy-related legislation have been considered across statehouses in 2026 alone.

That figure is only growing. The Electric Power Research Institute projects the national total will reach 9% to 17% by 2030. In Virginia, it could climb to between 39% and 57%. Baltimore residents saw average monthly bills rise by more than $17 after a single grid auction. Those costs fall on ratepayers whether or not they use a single AI product.

The resistance is one reason tech companies are exploring alternatives as far-flung as data centers in orbit. The terrestrial constraints driving that interest deserve close examination on their own terms.

On June 4, both chambers of the New York State Legislature passed the Responsible Data Center Development Act, imposing a one-year moratorium on new permits for data centers with a peak........

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