Twenty-three governors have signed a cost pledge initiated by President Donald Trump that aims to protect local ratepayers from increasing electricity costs associated with data centers, which are crucial for artificial intelligence operations. This Ratepayer Protection Pledge, initially launched in March 2026 with major tech firms, was expanded in July 2026 to include participation from state governors, utilities, and data center developers, highlighting the collaborative effort to address the financial implications of the growing data center industry across the United States.

Trump: Donald Trump serves as the President of the United States. In 2026, he has advanced the Ratepayer Protection Pledge to address electricity costs associated with data center expansion. The pledge requires data center operators to cover their own energy and infrastructure expenses rather than passing costs to consumers, with recent expansion to include state governors and utilities.

Policy Expansion: The Ratepayer Protection Pledge, originally announced in March 2026 with major tech companies, has been expanded in July 2026 to include governors, utilities, and data center developers.
AI Infrastructure: Data centers form the backbone of artificial intelligence operations and are seeing rapid growth across the United States.
State Participation: Republican governors from multiple states have joined the voluntary pledge to ensure local ratepayers are protected from rising electricity costs tied to data centers.