Ratepayer bill gains momentum in House amid data center backlash

A bill that seeks to mitigate data centers’ impacts on Americans’ electric bills is gaining steam in the House, as lawmakers face pressure to act in the face of sharp backlash to the sprawling AI infrastructure.

The bipartisan Ratepayer Protection Act would require states to “consider” standards that put the costs on tech companies, rather than individuals.

Its supporters say it could help alleviate potential price spikes caused by power-hungry data centers, but critics say it doesn’t go far enough to solve the problem.

The legislation advanced out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Tuesday in a 52-0 vote, a strong display of bipartisan support and a reflection of how the backlash to the data center buildout has crossed party lines.

The measure, which aims to codify a White House pledge signed by tech giants earlier this year, forces state regulators to hold a hearing on a standard that would ensure that large data centers pay for the cost of new power or power lines stemming from their electricity use. It does not force them to actually adopt such standards.

“[I]t has become clear that across the entire industry there is one entity uniquely positioned to stand up for families and communities who are the ones paying electricity bills-and that is this Committee, and our colleagues in Congress,” House Energy and Commerce Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) said in a statement.

The Ratepayer Protection Act also recently got a companion in the Senate, bolstering its chances of becoming law.

Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) introduced the measure in the upper chamber last week. A spokesperson for the senator said in a statement that he is “encouraged by the bipartisan support and committee passage in the House” and will continue working with the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to get the bill “across the finish line in the Senate.”

While the legislation’s momentum is growing, it’s still not totally clear whether it will ultimately be taken up to become law. 

Matt VanHyfte, spokesperson for House House Energy and Commerce Republicans, said in an email that he’s “confident it will continue to advance” after passing out of committee.

While the bill does not specifically require states to establish standards, Clara........

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