Husted leads bill to protect Americans from footing the bill for new data centers

WASHINGTON – Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) introduced the Ratepayer Protection Act to ensure American families and small businesses aren’t left paying for the energy infrastructure needed to support new data centers.

“If America wants to lead the world in AI and strengthen our national security, we have to build the energy infrastructure to support it. But we must do that without passing the costs on to working families and small businesses. The Ratepayer Protection Act would keep America globally competitive while protecting Ohioans and Americans from higher electricity bills,” said Husted.

The Ratepayer Protection Act would require states to consider establishing standards for states and Public Utility Commissions when connecting large electricity users—such as data centers—to the grid. It ensures those customers, not families or small businesses, pay for the power generation, transmission lines and other infrastructure needed to serve their facilities. Without those protections, utilities can shift those costs onto ratepayers through higher monthly electricity bills.

Reps. Gabe Evans (R-Colo.) and Kathy Castor (D-Fla.) introduced the companion bill to the Ratepayer Protection Act in the U.S. House of Representatives.

“As America races to lead the world in AI, we must build the energy infrastructure needed to support this innovation, and stay ahead of competitors like Communist China. But Colorado families, farmers, and small businesses should not be forced to cover the costs of new power generation driven by these developments. The Ratepayer Protection Act is a bipartisan, commonsense solution that protects everyday Americans and ensures our nation can continue to win the AI race,” said Evans.

“My neighbors across Florida are grappling with skyrocketing electric bills. Ratepayers should not have to subsidize wealthy corporations’ growing energy demands, especially from AI data centers. The Ratepayer Protection Act safeguards consumers by ensuring these data centers pay for the energy and grid upgrades they need so hardworking families and local businesses are not stuck paying more,” said Castor.

In March 2026, Husted joined President Donald Trump at the White House for a roundtable focused on lowering energy costs near new data centers. During the event, President Trump signed the Ratepayer Protection Pledge, with major technology companies committing to cover the full cost of the energy and infrastructure needed for new data centers instead of shifting those costs onto consumers. The Ratepayer Protection Act would codify key elements of that pledge.

Background:

If enacted, the bill would propose standards that state regulators could enforce when considering integrating new large-load customers with a demand of 100 megawatts or more onto the grid. Those recommendations include:

• Recovery of full, incremental cost of upgrades by the large-load customer over a long period of time through a special rate charge or other agreements. This protects utilities and their ratepayers from being left responsible for upgrade costs associated with a large-load customer, even if that customer later reduces operations or leaves the system entirely.

• Financial assurances requiring the large load customer to pay for any generation, transmission or other infrastructure necessary to serve their load, protecting utilities and ratepayers from that financial burden. This ensures large-load customers are responsible for the fixed costs associated with serving their demand rather than passing those costs on to families and businesses through higher monthly electricity bills.

Full text of the bill is available here.