Vindman Bill Would Make Large Data Centers Pay Full Incremental Electricity Costs

Rep. Eugene Vindman (D-VA) has introduced the Make Data Centers Pay Act, which would amend the Federal Power Act to require large and medium-sized data centers to pay the full incremental costs of their electricity use. The goal, according to Vindman, is to keep those expenses from being passed on to residential customers and small businesses.

Under the bill, covered data centers and high-density computing facilities with electricity demand of at least 20 megawatts would have to cover the incremental costs of serving their power needs. That includes the infrastructure and electricity service needed to support them, so the costs fall on the companies driving the demand rather than on everyday ratepayers.

Vindman’s office said he previously introduced the Smart Data Center Policy Act in August 2026 to prevent data center development near neighborhoods, schools and parks. He has also introduced the Home Energy Affordability Act and the Utility Hikes Transparency Act, and has opposed the proposed merger between NextEra and Dominion Energy.

Why it matters

The bill is a proposal and has not become law. If enacted, it could affect how utility costs from data center growth are allocated, which matters to homeowners and renters paying electricity bills in fast-growing data center markets.

Source: Rep. Eugene Simon Vindman (D-VA), October 14, 2026. Read the original release