A Florida House committee just approved a bill that would significantly limit cities and counties from enacting policies aimed at reducing climate change impacts. The proposal follows legislation signed nearly two years ago by Gov. Ron DeSantis that removed the requirement for the state to factor climate change into its energy planning.

While consumer prices increased 2.7% last year, electricity prices jumped 6.7%. But energy experts say no single factor is to blame.

State utility regulators must decide how to allocate the costs of generating and delivering power to data center operations, often referred to as “large load centers.” The issue is complex, and states are testing different approaches, each with its own advantages, limitations and risks.

Most of the time, the grid is running at only about half its capacity. This inefficiency drives up costs because building and maintaining the grid is expensive. But some researchers see an opportunity.