WTAS: The Ratepayer Protection Act Safeguards Hardworking Families
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, today highlighted widespread support for the Ratepayer Protection Act, which would require state public utility commissions to consider a strategy to make data centers pay their own way, instead of passing costs onto American consumers.
Don’t miss what ratepayer advocates are saying:
Matt Chase, CEO and Executive Director, National Association of Counties:
“The rapidly expanding data center industry presents significant challenges to counties from rising power and water demands, complex land use challenges, and evolving tax implications. The Ratepayer Protection Act reinforces that while grid investments and infrastructure upgrades are necessary to meet rising energy demands, the financial burden should not fall on counties or individual ratepayers. Counties thank Rep. Evans and Rep. Castor for introducing this bipartisan legislation that will provide greater certainty and transparency to counties and ratepayers about the costs associated with increased energy needs and urge its swift passage.”
Clarence Anthony, CEO and Executive Director, National League of Cities:
“The National League of Cities supports efforts from House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie, Energy Subcommittee Chairman Bob Latta, Congressman Gabe Evans and Congresswoman Kathy Castor to reduce energy cost burdens on communities and ratepayers. As energy affordability concerns grow and as local leaders are grappling with what data center development is best for their community, we applaud Congressional efforts to ensure that new energy infrastructure costs and generation related to data centers are not passed onto households, small businesses and communities.”
David Terry, President, National Association of State Energy Officials:
“The National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) endorses HR 9340, the ‘Ratepayer Protection Act.’ NASEO represents the 56 governor-designated State and Territory Energy Offices across the nation, and we support a balanced national energy policy. HR 9340 is carefully crafted legislation which does not mandate a specific approach in each state and instead calls for state ‘consideration’ of a standard for large-load data centers that results in data centers paying the full, incremental costs of electric system upgrades. The amendments to 111(d) and 112 of PURPA constitute a practical approach to a difficult problem.”
Statement from the America First Policy Institute:
“Large new electricity customers should pay their own way, without additional costs falling on American families and small businesses. Provisions in the Ratepayer Protection Act reflect this. These provisions create a process for state regulators to consider standards to ensure large-load customers cover incremental grid costs. Protecting ratepayers while expanding reliable, affordable power is essential to American leadership in AI.”
Brent Gardner, Chief Government Affairs Officer, Americans for Prosperity:
“To be clear, the condition of the grid does not preclude action by Congress—rather, it necessitates it. Governors, localities, and states across the country, on both sides of the aisle, increasingly recognize the need to reform respective permitting processes to meet growing energy demands. These same state and local leaders are now calling on Congress to act at the federal level...[W]e urge your support for the...Ratepayer Protection Act (Reps. Evans (CO) and Castor), to require certain load amounts to cover costs affiliated with grid buildout.”