US Senate kills AI data center cost-sharing bill by three votes

Opponents, mostly Democrats, called the bill ‘toothless’ for lacking binding mandates. Only four Democrats voted in favor. Supporters argued it would balance AI leadership with consumer protections, but critics say it does not go far enough. The debate may resurface after November’s midterms, with potential revisions to require data centers to cover their full grid impact. Meanwhile, some states and hyperscalers are taking unilateral action, like Oregon’s 30% data center rate hike paired with a 1.3% residential cut, or off-grid data center moves.