Guthrie doubles down on data center energy legislation
House Energy and Commerce Chair Brett Guthrie is pushing for federal legislation to address the energy impact of data centers. The proposed "Ratepayer Protection Act" would mandate that large electricity users, like data centers, cover the full cost of their necessary infrastructure. This initiative aligns with a White House pledge for companies to pay for their own energy use.
House Energy and Commerce Chair Brett Guthrie, a Kentucky Republican, affirmed his commitment to advancing legislation aimed at addressing the energy consumption of data centers. Speaking at POLITICO's Energy Summit in Washington, Guthrie stated his intention to codify a "ratepayer protection pledge" into statute. This pledge, previously extracted from companies by the White House, commits them to covering the full cost of their energy use.
The committee, chaired by Guthrie, conducted a hearing in April on draft legislation titled the "Ratepayer Protection Act." This proposed bill seeks to amend the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978. Its core provision would mandate that significant electricity consumers, including data centers, bear the complete financial burden for the infrastructure required to service their power demands. The legislative effort comes amid ongoing debate on Capitol Hill regarding the necessity of new federal laws for data centers, following a directive from the White House.