Senator blocks bipartisan AI data-center power bill after House approval
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A lone Democratic senator halted a bipartisan measure that would require large electricity users, such as AI data centers, to pay for grid upgrades, despite the House passing the bill earlier.
A single Senate Democrat prevented the Senate from advancing the Ratepayer Protection Act, a bipartisan proposal aimed at ensuring large electricity consumers, including AI data centers, cover the cost of new grid infrastructure. The measure had been approved by the House of Representatives with a 417-3 vote the day before.
Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) objected that the bill does not go far enough. He said, "The senator from Ohio and I agree on one thing, AI data centers can mean higher costs for American families, and in a lot of places they already do. But the Ratepayer Protection Act falls short of what we need to do to respond." He sought unanimous consent for his own GRID Savings Act, which would require large electricity users to pay for facilities needed to connect them to the grid and would establish federal standards for high-load interconnections.
Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) objected to Heinrich’s amendment, arguing that the Senate was denying immediate relief to consumers. He said, "The term do-nothing Congress exists for a reason. We absolutely accomplished that right now."
The dispute occurs as lawmakers consider the impact of AI and data-center expansion ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. Republican Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH), who sponsored the original bill, defended it as a meaningful bipartisan step to protect consumers from rising electricity prices and expressed disappointment that the opportunity was missed.
The Senate will remain in session through the end of the month before recessing until after the elections.