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US SCR30
Concurrent Resolution
AI Summary
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Congress endorses the Ratepayer Protection Pledge signed on March 4, 2026, at the White House by Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, Oracle, and xAI, which commits these companies to negotiate separate rate structures with utilities and pay for generation and delivery infrastructure whether or not they consume the electricity.
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Data centers consumed approximately 183 terawatt-hours of electricity in 2024 (over 4% of U.S. consumption), with Department of Energy projections showing this could reach 12% by 2028 due to AI infrastructure expansion.
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Under traditional utility models, infrastructure costs for large industrial loads are socialized across all ratepayers, effectively requiring households and small businesses to subsidize electricity infrastructure for highly capitalized tech companies.
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Federal agencies including the Department of Energy and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission should support implementation of the pledge, including expediting permitting and interconnection of new energy generation resources.
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Congress encourages additional AI companies, hyperscalers, and data center operators not yet signed to voluntarily adopt equivalent commitments without delay.
Legislative Description
A concurrent resolution expressing the sense of Congress that the Ratepayer Protection Pledge announced on March 4, 2026, reflects sound national policy to protect ratepayers in the United States, promote electricity affordability, and ensure that all people of the United States, including households, small businesses, schools, hospitals, and farms, have access to reliable and affordable energy as artificial intelligence and data center infrastructure expands across the United States.
Last Action
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text: CR S1618-1619)
3/25/2026