The President of the United States has issued a proclamation addressing the impact of growing data center infrastructure on American households and the energy grid. The statement highlights the importance of domestic data centers for economic growth, technological advancement, and national security.
According to the proclamation, as demand for electricity rises due to the expansion of data centers and artificial intelligence (AI) operations, there is concern that American consumers could face higher energy costs. To address this, major U.S. hyperscalers and AI companies have agreed to a Ratepayer Protection Pledge.
"Today, pursuant to the Ratepayer Protection Pledge, leading United States hyperscalers and AI companies guarantee that data centers’ energy needs will not increase household electricity costs for American citizens. Instead, these companies will build, bring, or buy the new generation resources and electricity needed to satisfy their energy demands, and pay for all new power delivery infrastructure upgrades to service their data centers. They will voluntarily negotiate new, separate rate structures with their utilities and relevant State governments, and pay those rates, and for their infrastructure, whether they use the electricity or not. They will also invest in local communities and coordinate with grid operators to contribute to a more reliable grid. These measures will ensure that Americans are protected from higher energy prices, benefit from grid upgrades and increased grid resilience, and benefit from this technological boom while the United States continues its global leadership in innovation and advanced technology."
President Donald J. Trump formally recognized this agreement by stating: "NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim as follows:
(1) The Ratepayer Protection Pledge and the commitments embodied therein effectuate the national policy of the United States.
(2) On this day, March 4, 2026, seven leading technology companies have accepted the terms of the Ratepayer Protection Pledge."
The pledge commits participating companies to cover all costs related to additional power generation and infrastructure required for their operations without passing expenses onto residential customers. It also includes voluntary agreements on separate rate structures with utility providers.
President Trump emphasized that these actions aim to ensure Americans are shielded from increased energy bills while supporting improvements in grid reliability during ongoing advancements in AI technology.
