Utilities & Rates

State Sen. Arthur Orr says Alabama needs data centers but advocates for a measured approach, citing concerns about rising electricity rates and potential conflicts with other economic development projects. Several cities have implemented temporary moratoriums while the debate continues statewide.

Data centers Archives - Yellowhammer News · Morgan Co., AL

AL.com · Jefferson Co., AL

Georgia Democrats seek to gain control of the state's Public Service Commission by capitalizing on public discontent with electricity rate increases and rapid data center expansion, hoping to win a third seat in the November election. The commission oversees utility rates, and environmental groups are investigating allegations that a data center developer began construction on a natural gas power plant before obtaining required air permits.

Washington Examiner · Georgia

Georgia Power is facing mounting pressure as rapid data center expansion emerges as the state's biggest energy challenge, surpassing previous nuclear plant debates due to the massive electricity demands and concerns about environmental impact, regulation, and costs borne by ratepayers.

WABE · Georgia

Entergy Louisiana says Meta will fund all power infrastructure costs for its Richland Parish data center, an agreement the utility claims will save statewide customers more than $2.65 billion over 20 years through lower rates and reduced grid costs.

96.5 KPEL · Richland Parish, LA

Alabama Public Service Commission candidates are debating whether the current "lame duck" commissioners should decide data center power contract rules as the three-member commission prepares for major restructuring. Republican candidate Jim Zeigler and Democrat Shelia McNair argue the two commissioners who lost their primaries should not make long-term decisions, while Democrat James Gordon contends the commission can still gather public input before the PSC expands to seven members in January.

al.com · Alabama

U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds has proposed House Resolution 9777, which would require hyperscale AI data centers to supply their own electricity and water instead of drawing from public utilities, aimed at preventing rising power costs from being passed to residential and commercial customers. The proposal goes further than the Trump administration's voluntary Ratepayer Protection Pledge, making the requirement mandatory.

The Cool Down · Florida

Tennessee enacted a law requiring data centers with power demands of at least 50 megawatts to pay for grid upgrades, but a carveout allows on-site gas-powered generation without state or local review, raising environmental and noise concerns for nearby communities.

The Cool Down · Tennessee

A Georgia data center developer hired a company to build a natural gas power plant on-site to avoid grid connection delays, but construction began before securing required environmental permits, prompting state regulators to issue violations and environmental groups to call for enforcement action.

insideclimatenews.org · Georgia

American Electric Power, SWEPCO's parent company, projects significant power demand growth driven primarily by data centers, with two Amazon Web Services facilities already announced in SWEPCO's northwest Louisiana service area and a potential third planned for west Shreveport. AEP anticipates 69 gigawatts of load growth through 2030, with Louisiana currently projected to need one gigawatt, though power requirements for the announced AWS data centers have not yet been disclosed to the Louisiana Public Service Commission.

The Shreveport-Bossier City Advocate · Caddo Parish, LA

Entergy customers in Mississippi will bear $367.7 million in costs for a new solar power plant in DeSoto County designed to supply electricity to Amazon data centers located in Madison County, according to a filing with the Mississippi Public Service Commission.

Substack · Mississippi

Alabama Power filed a redacted contract for electric service to a data center in Jefferson County, withholding key financial and operational terms needed to evaluate whether existing customers will bear any costs. The filing comes as Alabama prepares to implement new regulations in October requiring data center contracts to demonstrate they cover their own costs and benefit existing ratepayers.

WBRC 6 News · Alabama · also at WSFA

Tom's Hardware · Georgia

Cleco submitted an application to the Louisiana Public Service Commission seeking approval to build a natural gas-powered substation to provide approximately 430 megawatts of electricity to the Applied Digital Delta Forge 1 data center in Rapides Parish. The utility company argues the data center customer will cover most project costs, reducing expenses for existing residential customers.

KALB | News Channel 5 · Louisiana

A reader urges Alabama state leaders to require technology data centers to help fund the excavation and relocation of coal ash at Plant Barry, which holds approximately 21 million tons of toxic waste in an unlined pit along the Mobile River floodplain.

Lagniappe Daily · Mobile Co., AL

A Pulaski County judge dismissed the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's lawsuit seeking Public Service Commission records on Google and Entergy Arkansas's data center contract, ruling the case belongs before the commission rather than circuit court. The newspaper plans to file a petition to intervene in the case at the Public Service Commission.

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette · Shelby Co., TN

Albany city officials held public sessions on data center development after mid-July rumors circulated in the southwest Georgia city. A University of Tennessee sociologist studying utilities and democracy said data center concerns are increasingly bringing together people across racial, class, and political lines in Southern communities.

Georgia Recorder · Georgia

Headline onlyKTBS 3 · Louisiana

Georgia's 150-plus data centers are driving up electricity demand and requiring expensive grid upgrades, becoming a central issue in the state's open governor's race. Democratic nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms is calling for a construction moratorium, while Republican Gov. Brian Kemp and his opponent Rick Jackson support allowing data center development.

Politico · Georgia

Meta has exited the RE100 renewable energy pledge and is funding approximately 10 gas-fired power plants totaling roughly 7.5 gigawatts to supply its data centers, including a major facility in Louisiana and a project in Ohio.

Electrek · Louisiana

Meta restructured its $50 billion Louisiana data center project, retaining 20% ownership while Blue Owl Capital took 80%, on the same day state regulators approved the three gas plants powering it. Consumer advocates warn Louisiana ratepayers could face stranded costs from the gas plants if Meta exits after its four-year lease term expires.

Startup Fortune · Richland Parish, LA

Gov. Bill Lee joined 22 Republican governors in signing Trump's "Ratepayer Protection Pledge," a voluntary agreement requiring companies to cover data center construction and operating costs. Tennessee passed a law requiring data center owners needing at least 50 megawatts of power to pay for necessary electricity infrastructure upgrades, though the law contains exemptions.

Tennessee Lookout · Tennessee

DC Blox's parent company purchased a former Golden Flake factory building adjacent to its existing Birmingham data center for $2.5 million on July 20. The property acquisition supports the company's expansion plans, which include a long-term $785 million investment at its current Titusville site through 2029.

AL.com · Jefferson Co., AL

Georgia Power is using eminent domain to acquire over 300 parcels, including nearly 30 homes, for a 35-mile transmission line, with 70-80% of the new capacity serving data centers. Residents in Georgia, Wisconsin, and Ohio are mounting legal challenges, arguing the project primarily benefits private companies rather than serving a legitimate public infrastructure need.

Startup Fortune · Coweta Co., GA

Georgia Power is expanding its electrical grid with over 1,000 miles of transmission lines across 330 parcels to support new AI data center projects, which would displace nearly 30 residential properties through sales or eminent domain. The utility's Ashley Park-Wansley Transmission Project affects a 35-mile stretch across four counties, with reports suggesting 70-80% of the generated power will serve data centers.

Fortune · Georgia

President Trump expanded his Ratepayer Protection Pledge at a White House event attended by Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry and Entergy CEO Drew Marsh, requiring AI data centers to fund their own power generation and grid upgrades. A utility watchdog argued the pledge lacks legal enforcement and questioned whether Meta's data center will reduce electricity bills for Louisiana customers.

fox8live.com · Louisiana

Alabama Power committed to keeping data center costs off customer bills, while U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell backed a moratorium on new AI data centers in the state. The Alabama Department of Public Health is considering adopting the federal government's rescheduling of certain medical marijuana products from Schedule I to Schedule III following a public hearing.

Yellowhammer News · Alabama

Republican congressional candidate Case Dixon criticized special treatment for AI data centers in Alabama, arguing they should comply with the same permitting and environmental requirements as other industrial projects rather than receiving taxpayer subsidies or exemptions favored by politicians.

Alabama Political Reporter · Alabama

A proposed 1,500-megawatt data center near a historic 1965 civil rights march campsite in Lowndes County could receive up to a 30-year tax abatement, though the speculative developer's eventual operator remains unidentified. County commissioners have debated the incentive, with some arguing against approving tax breaks before a formal request is submitted.

Yellowhammer News · Dallas Co., AL

Georgia Power announced a six-point customer protection pledge addressing concerns about rising utility bills tied to data center growth, while President Trump unveiled a separate Ratepayer Protection Pledge requiring companies to fund new power infrastructure for data centers. Energy advocates and officials dismissed both pledges as lacking enforceability and offering no new protections beyond existing commitments.

Columbus Ledger-Enquirer · Georgia

OpenAI announced Project Camellia, a data center campus planned for Effingham County, Georgia, that will require 3.2 gigawatts of power delivered between 2028 and 2032. The company committed to $80 million in community benefits, hundreds of millions in tax revenue, and pledged electricity rates will not increase for residents.

the Electrical Distributor magazine · Georgia

Google will operate an eight million square foot data center in Columbia County, Georgia, spanning 23 buildings across 1,900 acres northwest of White Oak Business Park. The announcement was made Thursday by the county's Economic Development Authority, with the county board chairman appearing with President Trump at a Washington conference on data center utility costs.

Data Center Dynamics · Georgia

President Trump expanded his Ratepayer Protection Pledge to include nearly 200 stakeholders, including 23 Republican governors, requiring data center companies to fund their own infrastructure costs rather than passing them to consumers. The pledge aims to prevent electricity bill increases as data centers expand across the country.

Now Georgia · Georgia · also at Cobb Courier

Gov. Jeff Landry and Entergy signed a voluntary pledge aimed at protecting consumers from high utility bills driven by data centers, joining other governors and energy providers nationwide in the agreement.

WBRZ · Richland Parish, LA

The Nashville Zoo rejected a memorandum of understanding from DC Blox that would have limited the proposed data center to an initial 69,000-square-foot facility and included a land gift to the zoo. The zoo's board unanimously voted down the proposal, citing safety concerns about operating a data center near vulnerable species and neighboring communities.

Nashville Scene · Davidson Co., TN

The Tennessee Valley Authority signed the Trump administration's non-binding Ratepayer Protection Pledge, affirming its commitment to keeping power bills affordable. The utility said it is working to prevent rising data center costs from being passed to the 10 million people it serves across seven states.

WCLU Radio · Tennessee

TVA has signed President Trump's Ratepayer Protection Pledge, a federal initiative aimed at preventing data centers from driving up electricity costs for consumers. The pledge commits companies to protect American consumers from price hikes caused by data center energy demands while lowering long-term electricity costs.

Local 3 News · Tennessee

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed President Trump's "Ratepayer Protection Pledge," a voluntary, non-binding agreement among 23 Republican governors aimed at protecting consumers from rising electricity bills caused by data center growth. The pledge calls on major tech companies to generate their own energy for data centers rather than increasing demand on the grid.

WSMV · Tennessee

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed Trump's "Ratepayer Protection Pledge," which sets optional guidelines urging AI companies and data center operators to fund their own energy and infrastructure needs rather than passing costs to consumers. The pledge aims to prevent rate increases for American households as data center electricity demand grows.

WSMV · Tennessee

President Trump announced that nearly 200 stakeholders have signed a pledge requiring companies to pay for energy costs at artificial intelligence data centers, addressing community concerns over rising electricity expenses, noise, and water usage. The Tennessee Valley Authority, the nation's largest public power provider, joined the pledge and said it is exploring how it charges large power users including AI companies.

Local 3 News