President Donald Trump announced on July 23, 2026, that 23 Republican governors have joined a voluntary initiative aimed at protecting American consumers from rising electricity bills caused by artificial intelligence data centers.
The announcement was made at the Environmental Protection Agency headquarters.
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The agreement, known as the Ratepayer Protection Pledge, now includes nearly 200 stakeholders, such as utility providers, data center developers, and state executives.
White House officials say the coalition covers 80 percent of all power delivered to U. S.
households and businesses.
The pledge was initially established in March with seven major technology firms: Google, Microsoft, Meta, Oracle, xAI, OpenAI, and Amazon.
It ensures that companies cover their own energy infrastructure costs rather than passing them on to taxpayers.
While nonbinding, the pledge includes an addendum committing signers to implement its principles to the greatest extent possible within their positions.
The administration aims to address growing voter concern over affordability as U. S.
electricity costs have risen about 4 percent from last year, with overall energy expenses up 16 percent.
Trump urged officials to highlight the economic potential of localized technology facilities.
"You have to convince your community," he said.
"You can't fight it. You have to go with it," Trump added.
He further emphasized that municipal leadership should capture local investments rather than allowing competing regions to secure them.
"If you don't take all that money, somebody else is going to take it. You might as well do it yourselves," Trump said.
