Oklahoma lawmakers advance bill to prevent higher electricity rates from data centers

Oklahoma lawmakers are moving forward with House Bill 2992, a measure designed to prevent rising electricity rates for households and businesses due to the growing demands of data centers and cryptomining operations. The bill, authored by Rep. Brad Boles (R-Marlow) and Sen. Grant Green (R-Wellston), passed the Senate Energy Committee unanimously on Thursday, making it eligible for a vote on the Senate floor. The proposed "Data Center Customer Protection Act of 2026" mandates that the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, the state's utility regulator, create separate terms, conditions, and tariffs specifically for data center companies. Senator Green emphasized that new infrastructure strain on the grid by large-load users should be paid for by those entities, not by regular ratepayers. Utilities like Public Service Company of Oklahoma and Oklahoma Gas & Electric Company are already in the process of drafting such tariffs. According to Representative Boles, the legislation is crucial for implementing consumer protection safeguards into state law. The measure applies to all electricity providers, including cooperatives and municipal providers, and also allows data centers to pursue behind-the-meter power generation. The Southwest Power Pool, Oklahoma's grid operator, noted earlier that arrangements were being made for natural gas turbines to support large-load users.