Trump expands a voluntary pledge to protect consumers from high utility bills from AI data centers - AP News

What the report says

The Associated Press reported that President Donald Trump on Thursday expanded a voluntary pledge intended to protect U.S. households from higher utility bills tied to the rapid growth of AI data centers. Speaking at the Environmental Protection Agency in Washington on July 23, 2026, Trump brought governors and electricity companies into an initiative he first announced in March with major AI and technology firms.

According to AP, the White House said 23 governors and at least 187 companies have signed the nonbinding pledge, including 55 utilities and 27 data center developers. Listed signers include major power companies such as NextEra Energy, Duke Energy, American Electric Power, Southern Co. and Pacific Gas & Electric, as well as data center developers Equinix, Digital Realty and Prologis. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry and Idaho Gov. Brad Little were present as Trump spoke.

Trump argued that communities should accept data center development and said families’ electricity bills would come down because new power supplies would leave extra electricity for the grid. AP noted, however, that it remains unclear whether the pledge will produce real savings, especially as electricity demand is already rising.

The issue has political and economic significance ahead of the midterm elections. Data centers are central to the AI build-out and have become a major driver of investment, but they also raise concerns about competition for electricity, water and land. AP reported that worries cross party lines, with voters already focused on affordability and governments still weighing how to oversee fast-moving AI technology.