In President Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday night, he is expected to announce a negotiation with Big Tech for the firms to bear more responsibility for the energy cost burden in areas where new data centers are built.
In the new “rate payer protection pledges,” companies would pay increased electricity costs to alleviate the impact of AI data centers on rising electricity prices, first reported by The Wall Street Journal.
The top tech companies have made commitments to “pay their own way” so that consumers’ electricity prices do not surge higher.
Mr. Trump’s address is aimed at selling the public on the economy as Republicans aim their rhetoric toward voters’ concerns ahead of this year’s midterm elections. The high cost of living is anticipated to be a major talking point on the campaign trail.
The announcement — one of the Trump administration’s most significant AI and energy initiatives — comes as new data centers threaten to strain the electric grid and raise electricity prices.
Mr. Trump is expected to make several economic announcements aimed at tackling affordability during his speech.
“The president will proudly tout his administration’s many record-breaking accomplishments, and also lay out an ambitious agenda to continue bringing the American dream back for working people,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.
Mr. Trump is expected to trumpet his administration’s work to boost U.S. “energy dominance,” from lowering gasoline prices to rolling back major climate regulations.
• Mary McCue Bell can be reached at mbell@washingtontimes.com.
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