Vindman Introduces ‘Make Data Centers Pay Act’ to Protect Virginians from Rising Electricity Costs

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Eugene Vindman (Va.-07) today introduced legislation to protect hardworking Virginia families and small businesses from being forced to shoulder the rising electricity costs associated with the growing electricity demands of data centers.

The Make Data Centers Pay Act would amend the Federal Power Act to require large and medium-sized data centers to pay the full incremental costs associated with their electricity use, preventing those expenses from being passed on to residential customers and small businesses.

"Families in Virginia and across the country should not have to pay higher electricity bills to subsidize some of the largest and most energy-intensive data centers and computing facilities in the world," said Vindman. "As data centers and artificial intelligence drive growing demand for electricity, we need to make sure the companies benefiting from that growth pay their fair share. My bill puts ratepayers first and protects hardworking Virginians from being stuck with higher utility bills to subsidize billion-dollar corporations."

Under the legislation, covered data centers and high-density computing facilities with electricity demands of at least 20 megawatts would be required to cover the incremental costs of serving their electricity needs. This would help ensure that the costs of infrastructure and electricity service needed to support these facilities are borne by the companies driving that demand, rather than shifted onto everyday ratepayers.

BACKGROUND

Vindman has been a champion for holding data centers and electric utilities accountable.

In August 2026, he introduced the Smart Data Center Policy Act to prevent data center development near neighborhoods, schools, and parks.

Vindman also introduced the Home Energy Affordability Act to limit how often utilities can change residential utility rates and change prices for everyday Virginians, as well as the Utility Hikes Transparency Act, which would create the first comprehensive, machine-readable federal database of retail utility rate changes in the United States.

He has also fought against corruption in the energy sector by championing the Energy Utility Lobbying Ban Act, which would bar former government officials from lobbying on behalf of the companies they used to regulate.

What's more, Vindman was the first member of Virginia's congressional delegation to publicly oppose the proposed merger between NextEra and Dominion Energy, raising concerns about its potential impact on electricity rates and Virginia consumers.

Most recently, he delivered remarks at a Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) public hearing on the proposed merger, urging regulators to reject the proposal and put the interests of ratepayers ahead of corporate profits.

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