U.S. Senate Republicans Move to Fast-Track Bill Requiring Data Centers to Cover Their Own Power Costs

Senate Republicans are weighing fast-track legislative procedures to push the Ratepayer Protection Act (H.R. 9340) through before the November 2026 elections. The bill would require data centers to pay for their own electricity use and for grid infrastructure upgrades, rather than shifting those costs onto households and businesses.

The bipartisan measure is expected to clear the House as early as Tuesday with broad support. It would codify the "Ratepayer Protection Pledge" introduced by the White House earlier this year, a pledge backed by several technology companies.

The Senate version was introduced by Republican Senator Jon Huster of Ohio, who is in a tight race against former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown. Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota said this week that senators will take a close look at the legislation and examine whether it can be advanced by unanimous consent, a procedural route that may be necessary given the chamber's crowded schedule.

Lawmakers are responding to growing local backlash against the rapid expansion of data centers, as legislators in both parties try to balance data center growth, AI development, environmental concerns and added pressure on the electric grid. The Senate has only three weeks of session time before the November election, with a schedule that also includes confirming presidential nominees and considering college sports-related legislation.