As electricity demand surges from the rapid growth of AI data centers, some Americans could face significantly higher utility bills in the years ahead.
Florida is now taking steps to prevent those costs from falling on residents. Governor Ron DeSantis just signed Senate Bill 484 at Florida Polytechnic University, directing state regulators to ensure large data center operators cover the full cost of the electrical infrastructure they require. The measure positions Florida among the first states to directly address the growing energy burden tied to AI expansion. The law requires data centers to pay for transmission upgrades, grid expansions, and related infrastructure instead of shifting those expenses onto residential customers through higher utility rates.
“You should not pay one more red cent for electricity because of a hyper-scale data center as an individual,” Gov. DeSantis said. “It’s not right for some of the wealthiest companies in the world to have everyday Americans subsidize these facilities.”
The legislation also strengthens local governments’ authority to block data center developments and permits temporary confidentiality agreements between municipalities and tech companies for up to 12 months during negotiations. The move comes as states across the country grapple with rising electricity demand driven by AI-focused data centers. Consumer advocates and grid operators warn that concentrated energy usage from these facilities could lead to higher household utility bills if infrastructure costs are spread across ratepayers.
In Maryland, officials are already raising alarms. The state’s Office of People’s Counsel, which represents residential electricity consumers, argues that Maryland residents could collectively face as much as $1.6 billion in higher energy costs over the next decade because of transmission projects tied to data center growth.
The agency filed a complaint with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, claiming that the current cost-sharing structure used by PJM Interconnection unfairly forces Maryland customers to subsidize grid upgrades benefiting large data centers located elsewhere.
According to Data Center Map, Maryland has 53 data centers, far fewer than neighboring Virginia, which hosts more than 600 facilities and remains the country’s largest data center hub.
“Without FERC action, Maryland customers face paying billions for transmission infrastructure that PJM is advancing to benefit data centers,” said People’s Counsel David Lapp. “Maryland customers neither caused the need for these projects nor will they significantly benefit from them.”
Maryland officials are urging federal regulators to require that transmission costs tied to data center expansion be assigned either to the regions where those facilities are built or directly to the companies operating them.
Source: Newsweek