Trump expands Ratepayer Protection Pledge for AI data centers; Landry attends White House event
President Trump expanded his Ratepayer Protection Pledge, aiming to prevent AI data centers from increasing electricity bills, with Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry and Entergy CEO Drew Marsh attending a White House event. The pledge requires tech companies to fund their own generation and grid upgrades. A utility watchdog, the Alliance for Affordable Energy, expressed skepticism, stating the pledge lacks legal force and urged the Public Service Commission to scrutinize Entergy's proposed $17 billion investment in new power plants to support Meta's Richland Parish data center.
President Donald Trump announced an expansion of his "Ratepayer Protection Pledge" during a White House event, asserting that AI data centers should not lead to increased electricity bills for American consumers. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry and Entergy CEO Drew Marsh were present, with Trump emphasizing that tech companies must "pay their own way" by building or buying necessary generation, negotiating separate rates, and fully funding grid upgrades.
The initiative comes as Meta proceeds with constructing a large AI data center in Richland Parish, Louisiana, a project that is sparking debate over its financial implications for local ratepayers. Entergy CEO Drew Marsh cited the utility's "Fair Share Plus pledge," which he claims is modeled after the administration's plan and will deliver approximately $7 billion in benefits to customers across Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Texas over two decades.
However, Logan Burke, executive director of the Alliance for Affordable Energy, expressed strong skepticism, dismissing the pledge as lacking legal authority and arguing that only state regulators can truly protect ratepayers. Burke criticized Entergy's proposed $17 billion investment in seven new gas plants, transmission infrastructure, and energy storage to support the Meta data center, urging the Public Service Commission to thoroughly review and potentially slow down the approval process. She highlighted concerns about the lack of transparency regarding Meta's operational plans and the potential for residents to bear excessive risk and cost.