President Donald Trump is expanding his data center pledge to include some Republican governors and several large utilities, according to state officials and industry executives.
Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte, Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon and Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe have all signed the White House’s so-called Ratepayer Protection Pledge, a set of principles committing data center developers to pay for their fair share of energy and water use, along with electric grid improvements and maintenance, according to officials in each state. Electric utilities are also expected to sign the pledge, according to seven people familiar with the plans.
The White House declined to confirm the signatories, but said the pledge was drawing new support. “There is nothing to announce at this time, but President Trump’s Ratepayer Protection Pledge has been so impactful that additional stakeholders also want to sign it,” a White House official said in a statement.
It’s the Trump administration’s latest attempt to quell public concerns over artificial intelligence and rising energy prices. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, average electricity prices have risen 4 percent in the last 12 months, outpacing overall U.S. inflation, although the increase in power bills cooled last month. Federal forecasts say the cost is expected to rise even further in the coming years.
