House to Vote on Bill to Limit AI Data Center Utility Costs

The House is expected to vote as soon as Tuesday on a bipartisan bill intended to reduce utility cost increases tied to the rapid growth of AI data centers. The measure, called the Ratepayer Protection Act, would let state regulators require large data centers to pay for new power plants, transmission lines, and related infrastructure instead of shifting those expenses to households. The legislation comes amid rising political scrutiny of data centers ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Supporters say the proposal is a commonsense way to protect electricity customers, while some environmental and antidata center groups argue it does not go far enough. House Speaker Mike Johnson is expected to bring the bill to the floor under expedited rules, and it is likely to win broad support from both parties. Lawmakers backing the bill say it could address one of the biggest complaints from residents near proposed or operating data centers: higher electric bills.