Matheson Applauds President Trump’s Focus on Keeping Electricity Reliable and Affordable for American Families

ARLINGTON, Va. - National Rural Electric Cooperative Association CEO Jim Matheson today issued the following statement on ratepayer protections and data centers.

"We strongly support President Trump's focus on protecting American families by keeping electricity reliable and affordable in the face of growing demand from data centers," NRECA CEO Jim Matheson said. "His leadership on this issue reflects a clear understanding of what's at stake across the country and we are committed to the same goal. Data center developers must cover all of the costs of these projects, including the generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure needed to serve these new facilities.

"For decades, electric cooperatives have partnered with their communities to plan for future energy needs while keeping electricity affordable and reliable. That same community-first approach guides how co-ops engage with data center developers today and protect local consumers from costs associated with these projects.

"America's not-for-profit electric cooperatives are owned by the consumers they serve and operate at-cost. Every decision is made with an eye towards the impact on the consumer at the end of the line. We look forward to continuing to work with President Trump to advance smart energy policies that help control rising costs and support American families, businesses, and communities."

Five principles guide electric cooperatives as they respond to inquiries from data center developers:

• Data center operators must pay their own way
  • A single data center can consume as much electricity as hundreds of thousands of homes and require major investments in new generation and grid infrastructure. Technology companies must fully fund the infrastructure and operational costs needed to serve their facilities and protect co-op consumers from costs associated with these projects.

• Local control must be preserved
  • Electric cooperatives are owned and governed by the communities they serve. This local accountability ensures decisions reflect community conditions and priorities. Each co-op must retain the autonomy to determine whether serving a data center aligns with the best interests of its consumers.

• Affordable, reliable electricity is non-negotiable
  • Reliable and affordable power underpins local economies and the American quality of life. Data center developments must not jeopardize system reliability or increase costs for consumers.

• Flexibility is essential
  • No single approach fits every cooperative. Co-ops must have the flexibility to design customized agreements, rates, and programs that reflect local conditions while also balancing risks and benefits.

• Coordination with cooperatives is critical
  • Electric cooperatives have deep expertise in managing local grid operations and reliability. Data center developers must work closely with co-ops to ensure large new loads are planned and integrated in ways that maintain safe and reliable service for all consumers.

The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association is the national trade association representing nearly 900 local electric cooperatives. From growing suburbs to remote farming communities, electric co-ops serve as engines of economic development for 42 million Americans across 56 percent of the nation's landscape. As local businesses built by the consumers they serve, electric cooperatives have meaningful ties to rural America and invest $15 billion annually in their communities.

-###-