‘President Trump is right about data centers paying their own way’
Madison, Wis. – Senator Romaine Robert Quinn (R-Birchwood) issued the following statement after President Trump announced a ratepayer protection pledge in Tuesday night’s State of the Union address:
“Affordability, especially fixed costs, continues to be the number one issue on the minds of families across Wisconsin. In response to President Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday night, I will be introducing legislation to codify his pledge to protect ratepayers.
Residents across our state have made it clear they are concerned about the growing electricity demands of data centers and the possibility of higher utility bills as a result.
When I heard President Trump announce his ratepayer protection pledge, I stood up in my living room to cheer. I wholeheartedly support his goal of making it easier for data centers to meet their own power needs so that other ratepayers don’t foot the bill.
That is why I have already introduced legislation to prohibit energy costs associated with data centers from being passed on to other customers. This is an important first step in protecting ratepayers as new development moves forward.
Data centers and other high-tech industries will require vast amounts of new energy in the coming years. Importantly, developers in Wisconsin have thus far committed to paying for the power they consume. That is the right model. We should make it unmistakably clear that companies willing to generate their own electricity at their own expense have the full support of our state. Now is the time to think outside the box and pursue energy strategies that allow these facilities to operate outside the traditional grid without shifting costs onto other customers.
Wisconsin can and should lead the next wave of advanced manufacturing and business investment. We must remain competitive and open for business while protecting ratepayers. Economic progress does not need to come at the expense of Wisconsin families. Ratepayers should never be treated as a cash cow for large tech companies or investor-owned utilities.
Energy rates were climbing long before the discussion about data centers began, and we should refuse to accept that as the new normal. Requiring developers to pay for the energy they consume is one important step in protecting family budgets. Now is the time to remove barriers that stand in the way of doing so efficiently and effectively.”