New law aims to protect ratepayers from data center costs

Name: New law aims to protect ratepayers from data center costs
Uploaded: 2026-05-14T15:09:25.000Z
Duration: 1 min 8 s
Description: A new Oklahoma law, House Bill 2992, aims to protect state ratepayers from high energy costs associated with data centers. The legislation directs the Oklahoma Corporation Commission to ensure large utility users, including data centers, pay their full costs. It applies to new data centers, requiring a 10-year service commitment and regulating facilities consuming 75 megawatts.

News Clip1:08KOKH - FOX 25·Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, OK·5/14/2026

A new Oklahoma law, House Bill 2992, aims to protect state ratepayers from high energy costs associated with data centers. The legislation directs the Oklahoma Corporation Commission to ensure large utility users, including data centers, pay their full costs. It applies to new data centers, requiring a 10-year service commitment and regulating facilities consuming 75 megawatts.

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Gov: Oklahoma Legislature, Oklahoma Corporation Commission, State Representative Balls

Oklahoma has enacted House Bill 2992, a new law designed to shield state families and small businesses from bearing the financial burden of high energy costs associated with data centers. State Representative Balls (Bull in transcript) stated that his constituents expressed significant concern regarding data center impacts.

The legislation empowers the Oklahoma Corporation Commission to review utility costs and ensure fairness, specifically mandating that large utility users, such as data centers, cover their full operational costs. Representative Bull confirmed that this law targets new data center developments and will not affect existing facilities. Additionally, the new measure includes provisions for a 10-year service commitment and imposes regulations on data centers consuming 75 megawatts or more of power.