Data center bill falls short in Senate as lawmakers take final votes before the midterms
The 57-43 vote left the bipartisan Ratepayer Protection Act stalled, despite House passage and support from four Democrats.
- On Wednesday, the Senate began procedural votes on the Ratepayer Protection Act, a bill sponsored by Sen. John Husted designed to prevent residential utility customers from covering infrastructure costs associated with large data centers.
- The House passed the bipartisan bill 417-3 earlier this month, but Senate progress stalled when Democrats objected to unanimous consent. Husted faces former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in the November 3 election.
- Tech companies including Microsoft endorsed the measure as an important step, while Ohio state Senate Energy Committee Democrat Kent Smith called it a "showhorse" lacking mandatory protections for ratepayers from rising energy costs.
- Senate Majority Leader John Thune alleged Democrats are blocking the bill to deny Republicans a victory before the midterms. Given the Senate's recess, the legislation is unlikely to pass before the November elections.
- Utilities confront surging electricity demand and speculative data-center projects. Reuters reported this month that requested connections nationally exceed 700 gigawatts, prompting grid operators in places like Texas to require larger financial commitments before approving infrastructure.
180 Articles
180 Articles
Data Centers Could Sink Republicans in November Midterm Elections
Republicans are confronting a political liability over data centers as voter concerns about rising electricity bills intensify ahead of the November midterm elections, according to party strategists. [1] Senate Democrats blocked legislation sponsored by Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH) that would have required states and some utilities to consider a standard making data centers pay additional […]
Alabama senators back data center bill to curb energy costs, but vote falls short
WASHINGTON — Despite widespread support in the House, the Senate failed to advance legislation Wednesday aimed at shielding Americans from electricity costs associated with data centers.
Senate Blocks Husted Data Center Power Cost Bill 57-43
Senate Democrats blocked a House-backed measure that would press big data centers to cover their own grid upgrade costs, denying Republicans a midterm win on rising household power bills. On Wednesday, the Senate failed to advance the Ratepayer Protection Act on a 57-43 procedural vote, three short of the 60 needed to clear a filibuster. […]
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