President Donald Trump on Thursday had governors and electricity companies join a voluntary pledge to shield U.S. consumers from higher utility bills from data centers. The president first announced the pledge with leading AI and tech companies in March, but that initial commitment has done little to comfort voters who are already grappling with affordability issues.
Concerns about Data Centers
Concerns about data centers cross party lines, with voters worried about the environmental impact, use of AI in schools, and the prospect of data centers making their communities more expensive and less livable. Data center companies say their facilities help to generate tax revenues for school districts and reduce property tax burdens for homeowners.
The White House said that nearly 200 additional stakeholders, including utilities, data center developers, and governors, have committed to the pledge. The pledge would cover 80% of all power delivered to U.S. households and businesses.
Impact on Texas
In Texas, the issue has become a bipartisan concern, with Democratic nominee for Texas governor, Gina Hinojosa, using the issue to challenge Gov. Greg Abbott, who signed Trump’s nonbinding pledge. Hinojosa said, ‘They are owned by the richest men in the world. We’re all footing the bill. There are no rules. It is the Wild West of data centers.’
Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.
