Ratepayer Protection Act could make tech cover AI energy costs
Business
Big tech companies might soon have to pay for the energy and upgrades their AI data centers need, thanks to a new bipartisan bill in the US House.
The Ratepayer Protection Act is meant to stop local communities and small businesses from picking up the tab.
Google called the bill a "positive step," and Microsoft called the legislation an "important step" for protecting families from higher electricity bills.
Reps Evans and Castor introduce bill
Advocacy groups like the Data Center Coalition say they support holding tech firms accountable for their energy demands.
The bill was introduced by Reps. Gabe Evans (Republican) and Kathy Castor (Democrat), with Amazon, Meta, and OpenAI also expected to be affected.