The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Ratepayer Protection Act in a 413-3 bipartisan vote. The legislation now moves to the Senate for consideration.
The bill targets data centers drawing more than 100 MW of power to fund necessary electrical grid enhancements. This measure aims to prevent the AI-driven surge in electricity consumption from increasing utility bills for residential and commercial customers.
State public utility commissions are directed to consider rules requiring these large-scale operators to pay for infrastructure upgrades. The legislative action carries significant implications for the utilities sector and investors in ETFs including XLU and VPU.