Senator Martin Heinrich Blocks Ratepayer Protection Act, Proposes GRID Savings Act for AI Data Center Costs
Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) has blocked the Ratepayer Protection Act in the Senate, arguing that the bipartisan legislation does not adequately protect U.S. consumers from the rising costs associated with AI-driven data centers. The Ratepayer Protection Act, which passed the House with overwhelming support (417-3), aimed to establish federal standards for state regulators when reviewing proposals for new customers with electricity demands of 100 megawatts or more, including large AI data centers. It also recommended charging large electricity customers for extra grid upgrade costs. Senator Heinrich, the top Democrat on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, stated that the measure "does not go far enough to protect U.S. consumers" and that "Congress needs to pass real legislation with real teeth." He has instead proposed the GRID Savings Act, introduced in July 2026, which would mandate that very large electricity users, such as AI data centers consuming 150 MW or more, directly pay for th...