Cuellar pushes ‘Ratepayer Bill of Rights’ targeting data center costs
U.S. Representative Henry Cuellar (TX-28) is drafting a federal "Ratepayer Bill of Rights Act" to ensure data centers pay all project-driven costs for electricity and water, prohibiting these costs from being passed to consumers. The bill aims to increase transparency about data center resource use and protect local utility services. Cuellar is working to finalize the draft and plans to file it when Congress reconvenes.
U.S. Representative Henry Cuellar (TX-28) announced his work on federal legislation, dubbed the “Ratepayer Bill of Rights Act,” designed to mandate that data centers cover all project-driven costs, preventing these expenses from being transferred to households, farmers, ranchers, and small businesses. Cuellar is currently in Washington, D.C., collaborating with legislative counsel to complete the bill’s draft, with plans to introduce it once Congress is back in session.
The proposed legislation's core principle, according to Cuellar, is to ensure public disclosure of project resource consumption, safeguard water and electricity services, and require projects to bear their own costs. The bill intends to establish ten specific rights for ratepayers and would not preclude state or local governments from implementing more stringent protections. Cuellar mentioned discussions with State Representative Richard Raymond, who advocates for a special legislative session, and noted that the City of Laredo is already exploring local regulations.
Concerns regarding data center impacts have been voiced by residents across several Texas counties, including Webb, Jim Hogg, Zapata, Duval, Starr, Hidalgo, and Atascosa. Additionally, Cuellar co-sponsors three related bills that have passed out of committee: one focused on developing best practices for measuring data center energy and water use, another requiring the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to organize stakeholder reviews for data centers, and a third prompting states to consider establishing standards for data centers to fund power production and infrastructure.