Braun among 23 GOP governors to sign Trump’s data center pledge
Indiana Governor Mike Braun, along with 22 other Republican governors, signed former President Donald Trump's Ratepayer Protection Pledge. This pledge aims to prevent utility rate increases resulting from data center energy demands by requiring companies to cover full project costs and employ local workers. The initiative reflects a broader push to make states like Indiana "AI-ready" and is supported by several utility and data center companies.
Indiana Governor Mike Braun has joined 22 other Republican governors in signing former President Donald Trump's Ratepayer Protection Pledge. This initiative, first announced in March, seeks to safeguard households and businesses from potential utility rate hikes caused by the increasing energy demands of data centers and related infrastructure.
The pledge proposes that companies intending to build data centers must fully bear the associated project costs and commit to hiring local workers within the communities where their facilities are located. This aligns with former President Trump's vocal support for data centers, which he recently lauded as "money machines" and significant drivers of future job growth.
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin has also expressed a commitment to establishing the United States as the global leader in artificial intelligence. Governor Braun previously launched IN AI, a statewide program aimed at integrating AI technologies into Indiana's businesses, with the goal of making Indiana the "most AI-ready state." The White House reports that over 200 electricity providers and 30 data center developers, including utility companies AES and Indiana Michigan Power, have endorsed the pledge.