Tech companies say Americans will not foot the bill for powering data centers, but U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor wants that promise written into law.
The Tampa Democrat has filed the Ratepayer Protection Act, working across the aisle with Colorado Republican Gabe Evans.
Castor, who previously chaired the House Climate Crisis Committee, said power bills are already going up for many Floridians.
“My neighbors across Florida are grappling with skyrocketing electric bills. Ratepayers should not have to subsidize wealthy corporations’ growing energy demands, especially from AI data centers,” Castor said. “The Ratepayer Protection Act safeguards consumers by ensuring these data centers pay for the energy and grid upgrades they need so hard-working families and local businesses are not stuck paying more.”
If it becomes law, the bill would direct state utility regulators to set rules making sure consumers are not left paying for new power plants, transmission lines, or other upgrades needed to serve large users like data centers.
As demand for artificial intelligence grows, concerns about high energy rates have energized voters on the Left and Right. Evans said it’s important for Congress to come together to protect consumers.
“As America races to lead the world in AI, we must build the energy infrastructure needed to support this innovation and stay ahead of competitors like Communist China,” Evans said.
“But Colorado families, farmers and small businesses should not be forced to cover the costs of new power generation driven by these developments. The Ratepayer Protection Act is a bipartisan, commonsense solution that protects everyday Americans and ensures our nation can continue to win the AI race.”
The bill sets clear standards for how regulators should handle new users who need 100 megawatts or more from the grid. It calls for spreading out the cost of upgrades over time, using special rates or other agreements.
According to Castor’s office, the goal is to make sure new users cover the cost of powering their centers, rather than shifting those expenses onto current ratepayers.
The legislation also includes financial safeguards to ensure that large customers pay for the generation, transmission, and infrastructure upgrades their data centers require, protecting both utilities and everyday ratepayers.
Of note, the Florida Legislature passed a regulatory framework, signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in May, that would establish rules for data centers entering the Sunshine State.
President Donald Trump, in July 2025, accelerated permitting of data centers. He followed that up in March this year with another order demanding that tech companies agree to ratepayer-protection pledges to cover the cost of energy production for centers and not pass it on to other users.
