Gov. Stitt signs two bills focused on data center accountability
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signed two bills into law addressing data center accountability. One bill protects ratepayers from electricity cost increases, and the other mandates water recycling for data center cooling and gives more authority to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board.
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt has signed two new bills into law aimed at protecting Oklahomans and the state's energy and water infrastructure amidst the expansion of data centers.
One of the bills, the Data Center Customer Ratepayer Protection Act, seeks to shield taxpayers from uncontrolled electricity rate increases due to the high power consumption of data centers. Its author emphasized the importance of preventing the cost of these large energy loads from being shifted onto everyday citizens.
The second bill, the Groundwater Modernization Act, addresses water usage by requiring future data centers to recycle their cooling water through closed-loop systems. These systems are estimated to be 40% to 60% more efficient than open systems. The act also grants the Oklahoma Water Resources Board increased enforcement authority to conduct inspections and prevent waste or overuse of water. While these laws tackle key concerns, lawmakers acknowledge they don't cover all issues, such as noise, which remains a significant concern for residents in rural communities where data centers are often targeted for development. Governor Stitt and other lawmakers expressed a welcoming stance towards data centers, provided they adhere to the new regulations.