Energy and Commerce sets vote on data center energy bill
The House Energy and Commerce Committee plans to vote next week on the Ratepayer Protection Act (H.R. 9340). This bipartisan legislation aims to prevent data centers from raising electric utility bills by requiring them to pay the full cost of grid connection. Republican leaders are pushing for the bill's passage before the summer recess to address voter concerns about energy costs.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee is scheduled to vote next week on the "Ratepayer Protection Act," H.R. 9340, a bipartisan bill aimed at preventing data centers from increasing electric utility bills. The legislation is part of a broader markup session set to begin Monday, with votes expected Tuesday morning.
Republican leaders, including Energy and Commerce Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.), are keen to advance the bill before the summer recess. They view it as a way to demonstrate to voters that they are actively addressing concerns about electricity rate hikes, which are linked to the growing demand from data centers.
Representative Guthrie stated that the bill seeks to ensure that companies constructing and utilizing data centers bear the full cost of connecting their facilities to the electrical grid, preventing these costs from being passed on to hardworking American ratepayers.