Utilities, states sign Trump ratepayer pledge

President Trump expanded his voluntary “Ratepayer Protection Pledge” to include state governments, utilities and data-centre developers, aiming to prevent households from bearing the electricity costs of the AI data-centre boom. The move matters because rapidly growing demand for power is increasing pressure on grids and has become a politically sensitive issue as consumers worry about higher bills.

The White House said 23 governors and more than 200 additional organisations had joined, including major utilities such as NextEra Energy, Duke Energy, American Electric Power, Southern Co. and Pacific Gas & Electric. Signatories are expected to pursue separate rates and ensure data-centre operators cover new generation and grid-upgrade costs, but the pledge is voluntary and actual electricity pricing remains largely under state regulatory control.