Americans Shouldn’t Foot the Bill for Big Data Centers

rabinelliott
14 hours ago
3 min read

Action Alert, March 2026

Take Action

The explosive growth of artificial intelligence (AI) and its infrastructure comes with costs to our environment and climate—and to American consumers. The electricity consumed by AI is subsidized by higher prices paid by American consumers. Ask your senator to support the Power for the People Act of 2026 (S.3682), which will make the corporations pay their fair share for electricity.

Background

American companies invested more than $335 billion in AI between 2013 and 2023. Yet that pace has expanded greatly since then. In 2025, just four major companies—Alphabet, Amazon, Meta and Microsoft—reportedly planned to spend a combined $320 billion on AI technologies and infrastructure.

The demand for AI drives electricity demand for data centers. Unless this increasing demand for electricity is met with renewable energy sources, it is driving up electric bills, harming water quality and access, and increasing pollution, especially in economically disadvantaged communities.

Why Now

U.S. data centers consumed more than 4% of the country’s total electricity in 2023, and by 2030 that fraction could raise to 9%. And right now, American consumers are paying for this growth. One analysis tallies up to $4.3 billion in costs in 2024 for consumers in seven states: Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.

The Power for the People Act of 2026 will modernize regulations so that residential customers won’t subsidize electricity for AI data centers. The Act would establish new rate classes specifically for data centers and ensure that data centers are paying for transmission upgrades. Tell your senators to support this legislation and require that investors and technology companies—not the American people—pay for data centers’ electricity.

Jewish Perspectives

In the 16th century, the Maharal of Prague, Judah Loew ben Bezalel, tells the legend of the Golem, a hulking humanoid, formed from fear to protect the Jewish community from its neighbors. On its forehead the creator inscribed the Hebrew word emet, truth, to bring it to life. Today many writers describe AI as a digital Golem (Rabbi Ben Newman in The Times of Israel for one): invented with noble intentions, yet capable of slipping beyond the control of its human makers, with grave consequences for our species and the planet.

Without clear boundaries and firm limits, we shirk our moral responsibility for a tool of our own making, one with no soul and no moral character. We must hold members of Congress accountable to rein in AI’s unchecked expansion, curb corporations from squandering our God-given resources, and ensure this technology serves life rather than being our master. The choice is ours: write emet into our laws and policies now, or risk watching it turn to met, death.

Learn More

What we know about energy use at U.S. data centers amid the AI boom, Pew Research Center

What the AI Data Center Boom Means For Our Water and Climate, Food and Water Watch

Data Center Power Demands Are Contributing to Higher Energy Bills, Environmental and Energy Study Institute

Sample Message to Your Senators

Subject: Support the Power for the People Act of 2026 (S.3682)

I am alarmed about the explosion of energy-hungry artificial intelligence (AI) data centers across our country and their damage to our environment and our wallets.

These data centers use enormous amount of electricity, consume water at unsustainable levels, and contribute to climate change and skyrocketing electricity costs. Yet the companies profiting from these data centers are driving up electricity prices for the American public.

This is important to me because explain why you care…have you been impacted by a data center or plans to build one in your community?

Jewish teachings include … Or insert your own personal Jewish connection.

That’s why I’m calling on you to support the Power for the People Act of 2026 (S.3682), which will make data centers accountable for driving up energy prices.

How to Contact Your Members of Congress

Find your Members of Congress at https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials.

Call the Capitol switchboard (202) 224-3121 to reach your Congressmember's office.

Online: Find your members’ websites and look for the “Contact” page to submit a message. For a senator’s website, search lastname.senate.gov.