hold on there's just too much going on in Congress lmao...
Requires data centers to use off-grid power or pay to protect your rates.
Senators Hawley (R-MO) and Blumenthal (D-CT).
Introduced in the Senate, sent to committee.
This bill, introduced by Senators Hawley (Republican, Missouri) and Blumenthal (Democrat, Connecticut), aims to make large data centers either power themselves independently or pay to ensure they don't increase residential electricity rates. It was introduced on February 11, 2026, and has been referred to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for review.
Introduced Feb 11, 2026
The bill was introduced in the Senate on February 11, 2026, and referred to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. For it to become law, the committee must approve it, then the full Senate would need to pass it. After that, it would go to the House of Representatives for approval, and finally, to the President to be signed into law.
If passed, your household electricity bills could be more stable because large data centers would have to cover costs that might otherwise raise your rates. You would also have more transparency, as details about utility usage, land deals, and financial arrangements between data centers and utility companies would be made public. Additionally, newly built large data centers would largely rely on their own power generation rather than the main electricity grid, potentially changing how they are constructed.
Supporters Say
Supporters say it protects everyday consumers from unfair energy cost increases.
Critics Say
Critics might argue it could increase operational costs for essential digital services.
Those in favor would likely argue this bill ensures that the growing energy demands of data centers don't unfairly burden residential ratepayers, prioritizing household budgets. Opponents might contend that these new requirements could increase costs for data centers, potentially leading to higher prices for the digital services they support or discouraging their development within the US.