“America’s electric companies work every day with Administration, federal, and state officials to protect customers and power innovation,” Maloney said. “Responsibly connecting data centers and large loads to the energy grid creates win-wins in our communities – giving businesses the reliability they need while ensuring the American people benefit from their investments.”

The White House today announced an expansion to its Ratepayer Protection Pledge, building on the decades of success America’s electric companies have had prioritizing reliability and affordability for all customers.

Creating Win-Wins in Local Communities

EEI supported the initial March rollout of the Ratepayer Protection Pledge, during which tech companies committed to pay their fair share for energy infrastructure needed to power data centers, advanced manufacturing facilities, and other large loads.

Across the country, EEI members work within compacts set by regulators and local stakeholders to ensure these investments are win-wins for local communities.

• Officials from Alliant Energy and QTS Data Centers recently joined an episode of the Electric Perspectives podcast to discuss a new Cedar Rapids project, which will be the largest economic development project in state history.
• These sorts of projects led state regulators to approve a five-year rate freeze for Alliant Energy’s residential customers in Iowa.
• Similarly, in Georgia, regulators approved a plan to lower customer rates by approximately $50 per year – following last year’s approval of a multi-year rate freeze thanks to Georgia Power’s work with data centers and large load customers.
• Similar freezes have been approved in Alabama and proposed in Michigan.
• Meeting surging energy demand from data centers, industrialization, the reshoring of manufacturing activity, and electrification across the economy requires continued investment in America's energy infrastructure.
• July has been an unprecedented month for the grid. Weekly U.S. electric output hit all-time highs twice in three weeks, with Americans cranking up air conditioners as heat waves pushed temperatures into the triple digits in many areas.
• Grid-connected data centers support existing customers by paying for new, efficient, weather-resilient infrastructure that benefits everyone, spreading costs across a larger customer base.
  
  

• Local success is due in part to fair share agreements that ensure developers and tech companies pay for the new energy infrastructure their facilities need.
• To date, electric companies and regulators have adopted fair share agreements in 24 states, with decisions pending in six others.
• EEI maintains a snapshot of fair share agreements and large load projects involving investor-owned electric companies. View the full list here.
• Representatives from EEI, the state regulatory community, and consumer advocates developed a series of principles and best practices to help America meet rising energy demand and foster energy security through resource adequacy, as detailed in a recent Critical Consumer Issues Forum report.
  
  

Research Shows Electric Companies Protect Customers

Several recent reports show data centers are not driving up electric bills – and that electric companies are instead delivering benefits to existing customers.

• New reports from EPRI, Columbia University, and The Brattle Group conclude that data centers and large customers put downward pressure on rates when connected to the grid.
• For example, Entergy estimates its 2.3 million customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi will see $7 billion in total savings from its work with data centers.
• NiSource, similarly, expects customers will save $1.4 billion from its data center work.
• In North Carolina, Duke Energy has is helping create 2,000 temporary jobs and 500 permanent jobs in Richmond County through their data center work with AWS, expanding the county's tax base and driving new businesses and economic development.