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A Senate Democrat, Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, has blocked a House-passed bill aimed at managing electricity costs associated with data centers. The Ratepayer Protection Act, which passed the House 417 to 3, was halted on Thursday (September 17) when Heinrich objected to its passage through unanimous consent in the Senate. The bill would have required states to hold hearings on making data centers pay for increased electricity costs but did not mandate any standards or force tech companies to cover these costs.
Heinrich argued that the bill was insufficient, stating, "Rather than voluntary pledges or suggestions to states, Congress needs to pass real legislation with real teeth." He proposed his own alternative, the GRID Savings Act, which would require large electricity consumers like data centers to pay for necessary grid upgrades. However, Senator Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) objected to Heinrich's proposal.
The Ratepayer Protection Act was introduced by Senator Jon Husted (R-Ohio), who emphasized its bipartisan support in the House. He expressed disappointment at the missed opportunity to address the issue before the midterm elections. Husted stated, "It is a shame that this opportunity has been missed today, but I will be back to push this issue forward."
The bill's blockage highlights ongoing debates over how to manage the impact of data centers on electricity costs, with Democrats pushing for more stringent measures to ensure tech companies contribute to infrastructure costs.