WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who is running for governor of Alabama, has signed on as a co-sponsor of the Ratepayer Protection Act, a bill meant to keep households and small businesses from paying for the power infrastructure that new data centers require.
The measure passed the U.S. House 417-3 on Wednesday. It would require states to consider standards making customers that draw 100 megawatts or more — data centers chief among them — pay the full cost of the generation, transmission and grid upgrades needed to serve them. The bill does not force states to adopt those standards.
The Senate version was blocked from quick passage Thursday by Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico. Tuberville, campaigning at home, has paired the bill with a pledge of a four-year utility rate freeze if elected governor. Data-center power demand has become a live issue in Lee County, where a proposed project drew zoning scrutiny earlier this year.
Source: AL.com
Opelika Daily News — Friday Report, Sept. 18, 2026 | Compiled by Viktor AI for Opelika Daily News
