Lawmakers pass bills to limit energy price hikes, regulate data centers
The Delaware General Assembly passed three bills aimed at controlling energy costs and regulating data centers. These bills include requirements for data centers to supply their own power and be the first to be cut off in a blackout. Additionally, a proposed moratorium on data center development was rejected.
The Delaware General Assembly passed a trio of bills on the final day of its legislative session, aiming to curb rising energy costs and introduce new regulations for data centers. One bill limits the amount of infrastructure spending that the private utility, Delmarva Power, can pass on to customers.
Two other bills specifically target data centers: House Bill 233 designates data centers as the first to be cut off from grid power during a blackout and strengthens safeguards to ensure they pay the full costs of their energy usage. House Bill 445 mandates that data center developers supply all their own power within ten years of construction, with some of that power required to be renewable.
The legislative action comes amid concerns from Delaware residents and lawmakers that proposed data center projects could significantly increase electricity prices, potentially doubling the state's entire electricity usage. While Governor Matt Meyer has indicated support for the Delmarva Power bill and the blackout bill, his stance on the self-generation requirement for data centers remains unspecified.
During deliberations, Senator Eric Buckson (R-South Dover) questioned the urgency of the data center bills and proposed a seven-month moratorium on data center development, which was subsequently rejected by Senate Democrats. These state-level measures follow similar data center regulations passed by the New Castle County Council in March.