Bills to regulate data centers are on dockets in Washington and Harrisburg
Bills to regulate data centers are being considered in the US Congress and the Pennsylvania General Assembly. The US House of Representatives passed the Ratepayer Protection Act, which aims to protect consumers from electricity rate increases by having state utility commissions consider large-load standards for data centers drawing over 100 MW.
The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed the Ratepayer Protection Act (House Bill 9340) by a vote of 417-3. This legislation aims to protect consumers from potential electricity rate increases that could result from data center construction. The bill mandates that state utility commissions consider imposing large-load standards for data centers consuming more than 100 megawatts of power.
Simultaneously, the Pennsylvania General Assembly is also considering various bills designed to regulate the data center industry within the state. These legislative efforts at both federal and state levels highlight ongoing concerns about the impact of data center development on utility rates and grid capacity.