Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Problem Solvers Caucus Co-Chairs Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Tom Suozzi (D-NY) announced the Caucus's endorsement of the Ratepayer Protection Act (H.R. 9340), bipartisan legislation to help protect families and small businesses from bearing the costs of new energy infrastructure needed to serve major data centers and other large-scale electricity users.

The rapid growth of data centers and other large-load customers is creating significant new demand for electricity and, in some communities, requiring costly investments in new generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure. Without appropriate safeguards, the costs of upgrades needed to serve these large customers can be passed on to existing residential and small-business ratepayers through higher utility bills.

The Ratepayer Protection Act would establish a federal standard to help ensure large-load customers cover the costs of the new infrastructure needed to serve their electricity demand. The legislation would:

• Establish a standard requiring covered large-load customers to pay the full incremental costs of generation, transmission, and distribution upgrades needed to serve them.

• Require financial assurances to help ensure those costs are covered before utilities make the necessary infrastructure investments.

• Apply the standard to non-residential data center customers with an aggregate peak electricity demand of at least 100 megawatts at a single site or campus.

The Ratepayer Protection Act is led by Problem Solvers Caucus Member Gabe Evans (CO-08) and was introduced with Representative Kathy Castor (FL-14). The bill boasts nine Members of the Problem Solvers Caucus among its 49 total cosponsors. The bill was brought forward for Caucus endorsement by Problem Solvers Caucus Co-Chairs Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) and Tom Suozzi (NY-03). The legislation advanced unanimously out of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce by a vote of 52-0.

“Economic growth should never depend upon shifting private costs onto working families. That principle is at the heart of the bipartisan Ratepayer Protection Act and of my work with families across Bucks and Montgomery Counties who are already feeling the strain of rising utility costs," said Problem Solvers Caucus Co-Chair Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01). "If data centers require major new energy infrastructure, they should bear the cost of that demand. We can welcome innovation, strengthen American leadership, and still insist on fairness for the people who live, work, and build their lives in our communities. I’m grateful to my colleagues in the Problem Solvers Caucus for joining us in backing that commonsense principle.”

"We need energy infrastructure that supports American technology, but American families cannot be expected to foot the bill," said Problem Solvers Caucus Co-Chair Congressman Tom Suozzi (NY-03). “The Ratepayer Protection Act ensures that the companies driving demand for new data centers shoulder the costs they create, not the American people. This bill is common sense: it protects working families, helps meet our growing energy needs, and ensures American innovation works for everyone.