Electric Bills Rise, Evidence That Data Centers Share Blame

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Amid rising electric bills, states are under pressure to insulate regular household and business ratepayers from the costs of feeding Big Tech’s energy-hungry data centers. It’s not clear that any state has a solution and the actual effect of data centers on electricity bills is difficult to pin down. Some critics question whether states have the spine to take a hard line against tech behemoths. Charlotte Shuff of the Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board, a consumer advocacy group, says there’s a massive outcry over rising power bills. Some data centers require more electricity than cities or states. That’s pushing policymakers to rethink how transmission costs are spread among consumers.