On Wednesday, the Senate voted against a proposal that aimed to push states to consider making data centers pay for increased electricity expenses. The bill fell short of the required 60 votes, ending with a tally of 57 in favor and 43 against. While the legislation intended for states to evaluate a federal guideline that would obligate data centers to cover the costs related to grid enhancements and rising energy prices, it lacked an actual enforcement mechanism.
Democratic Senators like Amy Klobuchar from Minnesota, Jon Ossoff, Raphael Warnock (both from Georgia), and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire supported the advancement of this legislation.
Jon Husted, a Republican Senator from Ohio, brought forth this legislation amid a tight race against former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown from Ohio.
The Senate had previously tried to expedite the bill’s approval on September 17 with a recorded vote, but Democratic Senator Martin Heinrich from New Mexico objected, effectively halting the move. Just one senator can block a recorded vote.
In response, Heinrich introduced the GRID Savings Act of 2026. This measure aims to ensure that data centers and other major electricity consumers are responsible for funding grid updates and the needed connection facilities.
Heinrich emphasized, “It’s not just about suggesting that states might want to make data centers pay for upgrades; Congress really needs to pass solid legislation. That’s why I’m proposing the GRID Savings Act, which would mandate, rather than just encourage, that large users, such as data centers, actually pay for the infrastructure necessary to connect them to the grid.”
Data Center demand has pushed electricity prices across the nation up. If hyperscalers and other big tech companies need expensive new facilities and more energy, they should pay for it–NOT our hardworking families and small businesses. https://t.co/eVKacHkbJ2
— Martin Heinrich (@SenatorHeinrich) September 17, 2026
A single major data center can consume around 100 megawatts of electricity, equivalent to powering 100,000 homes, as reported by Consumer Reports.
Across the U.S., electricity prices have increased by approximately 27% since 2019, significantly outpacing typical consumer inflation rates. In states with high data center concentrations, electric bills have surged even more, with Virginia seeing a 13% increase, Illinois 16%, and Ohio 12% over the span of a year, according to CNBC.
Interestingly, the construction of data centers jumped by 57% from July 2025 to July, coinciding with rising energy costs.
Furthermore, it’s projected that the natural gas used to generate electricity for data centers in the U.S. will increase by 15 billion cubic feet per day through 2035, potentially positioning U.S. data centers as one of the largest consumers of natural gas globally.
This legislation had previously passed the House with a vote of 417 to 3, although Democrats Rashida Tlaib from Michigan, Delia Ramirez from Illinois, and Summer Lee from Pennsylvania voted against it during a vote on September 16.
