Overview
- The House approved the bipartisan Ratepayer Protection Act by a 417-3 vote on Wednesday, sending the measure to the Senate.
- The bill directs state utility regulators to commence consideration of standards that would have very large data centers roughly 100 megawatts or larger cover incremental costs for generation, transmission and other grid upgrades.
- The measure only requires states to begin considering rules within a year and does not compel companies to pay those costs, a limitation critics say leaves consumers vulnerable.
- Senator Martin Heinrich objected to using unanimous consent to fast‑track the bill in the Senate, blocking immediate approval and leaving the bill’s fate and stronger alternatives unresolved.
- The law would codify parts of the White House’s voluntary Ratepayer Protection Pledge and arrives as utilities, FERC and states work on interconnection and tariff changes to manage rapid data‑center growth.