Bill to protect ratepayers from data center utility costs hits snag

Senator Graham Greene's "Data Center Customer Protection Act," designed to protect Oklahoma ratepayers from data center utility costs by ensuring facilities adding 75 megawatts or more pay for their own infrastructure upgrades, has encountered legislative hurdles. The bill, which Greene says aims to hold data centers accountable for energy use without halting their development in Oklahoma, initially passed the Senate. However, it was rejected in the House after amendments were added. These amendments, which caused concerns, include requiring a 60-day notice for developers purchasing land for a project and mandating notification to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, local county commissioners, and property owners within a five-mile radius. Lawmakers also questioned a proposed $1,500 per day fine for non-compliance, with some suggesting data centers might simply absorb the fine. The bill must now return to a committee for compromise before it can proceed.