Overview
- Elizabeth Warren, Chris Van Hollen and Richard Blumenthal sent letters to Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, CoreWeave, Digital Realty and Equinix seeking accountability for rising residential electricity costs.
- The inquiry asks for detailed disclosures by January 12, 2026 on project footprints, energy use, rate arrangements, incentives and lobbying, and on steps taken to prevent costs being shifted to households.
- The senators cite reports of localized wholesale price spikes—up to 267% over five years near heavy data‑center buildouts—and point to confidential utility contracts and multibillion‑dollar grid upgrades as drivers.
- Tech firms dispute the link, with Amazon releasing an E3 analysis saying its facilities cover their costs and may benefit ratepayers, and a Lawrence Berkeley Lab study finding recent average prices fell in some areas.
- Policy responses are widening as Utah, Oregon and Ohio adopt separate data‑center rate classes and upfront payments, Virginia weighs a similar move, and Bernie Sanders calls for a halt to new AI data‑center construction.