Bipartisan senators propose data center regulations to curb utility bill spikes

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Four lawmakers from Illinois have introduced a bipartisan bill aimed at regulating utility bill hikes related to data centers. The POWER Act would impose a moratorium on new data center construction built on the Mahomet Aquifer, a source of groundwater used by many facilities.

The bill also seeks to hold data centers responsible for their energy costs and environmental protections. According to the lawmakers, this legislation aims to address concerns about the growing number of data centers in Illinois, which are consuming increasing amounts of electricity and water.

The POWER Act would require data center operators to pay a portion of the cost of maintaining the aquifer, as well as contribute to the costs of energy generation and distribution. The bill also includes provisions for environmental protection, including measures to reduce the amount of wastewater generated by data centers.

Lawmakers from Illinois have been working on this legislation in response to growing concerns about the impact of data centers on local water resources and energy consumption. The POWER Act is one of the first bipartisan efforts to address these issues at the state level.

The bill has been introduced in the Illinois General Assembly, where it will undergo review and debate before potentially being passed into law.

Source: Google News World