Make Data Centers Pay Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 10809 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 10809 To amend the Federal Power Act to protect ratepayers from costs relating to the electric loads of data centers and high-density computing facilities. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 13, 2026 Mr. Vindman introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To amend the Federal Power Act to protect ratepayers from costs relating to the electric loads of data centers and high-density computing facilities. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Make Data Centers Pay Act''. SEC. 2. RATEPAYER PROTECTION FOR DATA CENTER AND HIGH-DENSITY COMPUTING LOAD. Part II of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 824 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``SEC. 224. RATEPAYER PROTECTION FOR DATA CENTER AND HIGH-DENSITY COMPUTING LOAD. ``(a) Definitions.--In this section: ``(1) Commission.--The term `Commission' means the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. ``(2) Covered load.--The term `covered load' means electric load that-- ``(A) is attributable to 1 or more data centers or high-density computing facilities located at a single site, or at multiple sites under common ownership or control; and ``(B) equals or exceeds 20 megawatts or, in the case of data centers or high-density computing facilities developed in phases, is reasonably expected to equal or exceed 20 megawatts at full buildout. ``(3) Data center or high-density computing facility.-- ``(A) In general.--The term `data center or high- density computing facility' means a facility, or group of colocated facilities, the primary purpose