Data centers pay their way. Ratepayers pay theirs.

A public commitment that hyperscalers, AI companies, and the utilities and data-center developers behind them will build, bring, or buy every kilowatt their facilities need — and cover every dollar of the infrastructure that delivers it. American households and businesses should not be footing the bill.

200+
Organizations committed across every stakeholder in the U.S. power system.
263M
Americans covered — 75% of the population
80%
of U.S. power delivered to homes & businesses
5
Commitments in the pledge
Read the pledge →
Overview

Why this exists, in plain terms.

The problem

Data center infrastructure is the foundation of modern American life — from the internet and cloud computing to hospital records and 911 dispatch. As that infrastructure scales, so does the electricity it needs — and, without safeguards, so do the utility bills of ordinary Americans who had nothing to do with driving that demand.

The Ratepayer Protection Pledge flips the incentive. If a hyperscaler wants the power, they pay for the power — the generation, the delivery, and the grid upgrades that come with it.

The pledge now spans every party that plays a role in building, powering, and regulating data centers: more than 200 organizations across four stakeholder groups — the state governors who set rules, the hyperscalers and AI companies driving demand, the utilities and cooperatives that generate and deliver electricity, and the data-center developers who build the facilities.

Together they cover roughly 80% of the power delivered to American homes and businesses, protecting 263 million Americans — three-quarters of the country — when a data center is built nearby.

Everyday Infrastructure

Not just AI. Every part of American life runs through a data center.

Every phone call routed, every plane sequenced through the skies, every Amazon order, hospital chart, credit-card swipe, and Netflix stream. Getting the economics right protects far more than the AI boom.

  • 911 call centers
  • Air traffic control
  • Cell phone calls
  • Amazon deliveries
  • Netflix & streaming
  • Google Maps
  • Credit-card transactions
  • Payroll & banking
  • Hospital operations
  • NYSE & NASDAQ
The Pledge

Five commitments companies make when they sign.

  1. I

    Build, bring, or buy new power supply.

    Signatories procure the generation resources needed for their new energy demand — building or buying from new or otherwise additive power plants — and pay the full cost. Where possible, they add capacity that increases supply for the broader public.

    WhyAdvances self-sufficiency and protects Americans from higher prices.

  2. II

    Pay for new power delivery infrastructure.

    Companies cover all new delivery upgrades required to service their data centers, including network upgrade costs, ensuring those expenses are not passed on to ordinary households.

    WhyData centers should benefit all ratepayers and the grid — not extract from them.

  3. III

    Pay whether they use the power or not.

    Companies voluntarily negotiate new, separate rate structures with their utilities and state governments. They pay those rates for the power and infrastructure brought online for them — whether or not they actually use the electricity.

    WhyProtects the American people from bill increases tied to data center development.

  4. IV

    Invest in local jobs and workforce development.

    Signatories invest in the local communities where they build — hiring locally and establishing programs to develop relevant skills.

    WhyEvery American worker should benefit from the technological build-out, from construction through operation.

  5. V

    Contribute to grid and community resilience.

    Companies coordinate with grid operators to strengthen reliability and, wherever possible, make their backup generation available during scarcity events to help prevent blackouts and shortages in their communities.

    WhyConsumers benefit from enhanced grid resilience in emergencies.

Coverage & Enforcement

Every party at the table.

Skeptics — including The Wall Street Journal — questioned whether the pledge could be enforced, given that power prices are set by state regulators, electricity buyers, and electricity sellers. The Ratepayer Protection Pledge now has commitments from every one of them — and from the developers who actually build the facilities.

200+
Organizations committed to the pledge across four stakeholder groups — enough to reach every stage of building, powering, and regulating data centers in America.
State Regulators
23
Governors signed on, representing the states where data-center growth is heaviest.
View the signed pledge (PDF) →
Electricity Buyers
7
The largest U.S. hyperscalers and AI companies, committed since the March round of the pledge.
Electricity Sellers
150+
Utilities and cooperatives — from generation-and-transmission co-ops to municipal utilities and state associations.
Data Center Developers
28
Firms that build and operate the physical facilities driving new load.
263M
Americans now protected when a data center is built nearby — three-quarters of the U.S. population.
80%
of all power delivered to American homes and businesses is covered by the coalition.
The Signatories

Utilities, cooperatives, and data-center developers backing the pledge.

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