Democrats Campaign On Power Bills After Blocking GOP Data Center Plan
Democratic Senate candidates are emphasizing the effect of data center electricity demand on household utility bills after Senate Democrats blocked a Republican-backed bill designed to make large data centers cover power-generation and grid-upgrade costs. The Ratepayer Protection Act received 57 votes, short of the 60 needed to advance, while supporters continue seeking other legislative avenues.
Data center electricity costs have become a campaign issue in the Ohio Senate race between Democrat Sherrod Brown and Republican Jon Husted. Brown has criticized data centers and pledged to make them pay the full cost of their electricity, while Husted has promoted the Ratepayer Protection Act, which would require state regulators and utilities to consider standards requiring large data centers to finance generation and grid upgrades needed to serve them.
The bill passed the House but failed to advance in the Senate on a 57- vote procedural tally, with Democrats arguing that its protections were too weak because states could reject the proposed standards. Husted’s office said he would pursue other legislative options, while energy analyst Sarah Wagoner supported requiring data centers to cover infrastructure costs. The Data Center Coalition said the industry remains committed to paying the full cost of the energy it uses, and the issue is also central to the closely watched Maine Senate race.