U.S. Senate Fails to Pass Ratepayer Protection Act Amid Push to Regulate Digital Infrastructure

The Ratepayer Protection Act recently failed a procedural vote in the U.S. Senate with 57 senators voting to advance and 43 opposed, falling short of the 60 votes needed. Championed by Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) and Reps. Gabe Evans (R-Colo.) and Kathy Castor (D-Fla.), the act aims to require state utility regulators to consider standards where computing facilities with peak electricity demand of at least 100 megawatts cover the full incremental costs of power generation and grid upgrades needed to serve them. This reflects a broader trend to regulate every layer of the digital infrastructure and AI stack as the digital economy grows.