America’s continued economic and technological leadership depends on reliable, large-scale data center infrastructure built here at home.  Data center infrastructure is the foundation of the internet, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence (AI), and supports our economic and national security.  As that infrastructure grows and the related electricity demand increases, the American people should not be footing the bill for the benefit of private companies.  Instead, the data center boom should be leveraged to address affordability and benefit all American households and businesses.

President Trump is calling on the leading United States hyperscalers and AI companies to build, bring, or buy all of the energy needed for building and operating data centers, paying the full cost of their energy and infrastructure, no matter what.

As part of the Ratepayer Protection Pledge, companies agree to protect American consumers from price hikes due to data center energy and infrastructure requirements, and lower electricity costs for consumers in the long term, including by:

1. Building, Bringing, or Buying New Power Supply

• WHAT: Companies will build, bring, or buy the new generation resources and electricity needed to satisfy their new energy demands, paying the full cost of those resources whether by building, or buying from, new or otherwise additive power plants. Where possible, these companies will also add more capacity that serves the broader public by increasing supply.
• WHY: This advances self-sufficiency and protects Americans from higher prices.

2. Paying for New Power Delivery Infrastructure Upgrades

• WHAT: Companies will pay for all new power delivery infrastructure upgrades required to service their data centers, including adequate network upgrade costs to ensure that these expenses are not passed on to the ordinary household.
• WHY: This way, data centers can benefit all ratepayers and the grid.

3. Paying Whether They Use the Power or Not

• WHAT: Companies will voluntarily negotiate new, separate rate structures with their utilities and relevant State governments wherever they build data centers. Importantly, they will pay these rates for the power and related infrastructure that are brought online to service their data centers, whether they use the electricity or not.
• WHY: This will protect the American people from increased utility bills as a result of the development of these data centers.

4. Investing in Local Job Creation and Workforce Development

• WHAT: Companies will invest in the local communities in which they build data centers.  This includes hiring from within the local community and establishing programs to develop relevant skills.
• WHY: This allows all American workers to benefit from the oncoming technological boom at every step from construction to operation.

5. Contributing to Electric and Community Resilience

• WHAT: Companies will coordinate with grid operators to contribute to a more reliable grid and, whenever possible, make available their backup generation resources at times of scarcity to prevent blackouts and power shortages in their communities.
• WHY: Consumers will benefit from enhanced grid resilience from data center power resources in times of emergency.

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