Find the next vote or approval
Look for the next zoning vote, tax-break hearing, utility meeting, electric-rate decision, service contract, or development approval. That is where your community has leverage.
Before the next megawatt
A data center is coming. Is the power plan ready?
Data centers can bring jobs and investment. A large data center can also use as much electricity as a city. This toolkit helps you find the next vote, ask the right questions, uncover who will pay, and push for a better local power deal before it is too late.
The local fight playbook
Your leverage exists before the deal is done.
A data-center fight is rarely decided in one meeting. Zoning, tax breaks, electric service, utility construction, and development agreements may move on separate tracks. Find the next vote or signature and put the power questions on the public record.
Find out how much power it wants
Get the requested megawatts, building phases, utility, substation, power source, new line needs, and expected service date into the public record. Megawatts measure how much power the project wants at one time.
Follow the money
Ask who pays for new power plants, transmission lines, substations, neighborhood grid work, and backup service. Ask who pays if the project shrinks, uses less power, or leaves.
Ask for power in local homes
Ask the utility to study developer-funded home batteries, rooftop solar paired with storage, and programs that lower use when the grid is strained. If they will help, put them in the deal.
Warning signs
If these questions are unanswered, the deal is not ready.
Use these signals to explain why officials should slow the approval process long enough to obtain a complete public power plan.
No public power number
Officials cannot judge the power plan when the project will not say how much electricity it wants, when it wants it, or how quickly it will grow.
Jobs announced, power costs missing
The announcement leads with investment and jobs but says little about new power plants, lines, substations, or electric bills.
A promise without a written deal
The developer says residents will be protected, but there is no public rate plan, long-term payment promise, deposit, deadline, or penalty.
A power request is treated like real power
Applying for service does not produce electricity. Ask which power plants and grid upgrades are funded, permitted, and scheduled.
Approvals come before the power study
Zoning, tax breaks, or development terms are locked in before the utility explains the full cost and effect on reliability.
Local benefits stop at taxes and jobs
A project using city-scale power should be asked what lasting energy equipment, backup power, and protection it can provide nearby families.
Ready-to-use lines
Make the power issue understandable.
Use these in public comment, local Facebook groups, letters to the editor, emails to officials, and conversations with reporters.
01Show us the power plan before the vote, not after electric bills go up.
02This project could use as much electricity as a city. Tell us how much power it wants and what the full cost will be.
03Families and small businesses should not pay for the power plants, lines, substations, or leftover bills created for one private project.
04If the developer wants a faster connection, a stronger local grid should be part of the deal.
05Study whether the developer can pay for home batteries, rooftop solar paired with storage, and programs that lower power use when the grid is strained.
06Press releases are not protection. Put who pays, what gets built, the deadlines, and the penalties into a signed public agreement.
What a better deal can include
Turn faster service into lasting local power.
A faster electric connection is valuable to a data-center developer. That gives the community leverage. Ask whether the developer can pay for home batteries, rooftop solar paired with storage, and programs that reward families for using less power when the grid is strained.
If the study shows value, put the systems into the agreement.Do not put the bill on families
The developer pays for the power plants, lines, substations, and other work its project requires. If the project falls short or leaves, local customers are not stuck with the bill.
Study batteries for local homes
Ask the utility whether home batteries, rooftop solar paired with storage, and programs that reduce power use at busy times could help the local grid.
Make the developer pay
If the study shows those systems will help, the developer pays for the equipment, installation, warranties, upkeep, and replacement. Participating families pay nothing.
Put it in writing
Add the promise to the company’s electric rate plan, service contract, development agreement, or project approval before faster service is granted.
Show the public what was delivered
Publish how much money was committed, how many systems were installed, whether they worked when needed, and whether deadlines were met.
Build the public record
Do not wait for someone to offer the details.
Act before the zoning vote, tax break, electric-service plan, or faster connection is approved. Ask in writing, request the documents behind the deal, and make officials answer in public.
Speak up early
Raise the issue before the zoning vote, tax break, utility hearing, service contract, or development agreement is approved.
Put it in the public record
Email the clerk, utility, developer, and elected officials. Read your request during public comment and ask for a written answer.
Ask everyone with a vote or signature
The developer, utility, city or county, economic-development office, and state utility commission each control part of the deal.
Get a signed deal
A press release is not protection. Ask where the promise will be written, when it must be delivered, and what happens if the company fails to deliver.
Request these records
Documents turn suspicion into leverage.
Ask the clerk, utility, state utility commission, and economic-development office. Public-records requests and official utility filings may reveal different pieces of the same power plan.
- The project’s requested megawatts, building phases, power forecast, and requested connection date
- Utility studies showing how the project will connect, including load, interconnection, transmission, and substation studies
- The estimated cost of new power plants, power lines, substations, neighborhood grid work, and backup service
- Draft electric rates and service contracts, including minimum payments, deposits, contract length, and what happens if the project leaves
- Development agreements, tax breaks, incentive packages, and any promise to repay infrastructure costs
- Plans for outages, emergencies, backup power, reducing use when the grid is strained, and closing the site
Say this at the meeting
The public ask
We welcome jobs and investment, but this project should not be approved until the public sees a complete power plan. The plan should show how much electricity the project wants, which new power plants, lines, and substations it will need, who will pay for each piece, and who pays if the project uses less power than promised or shuts down. The utility should also study whether the developer can pay for home batteries, rooftop solar paired with storage, and programs that reward local families for using less power when the grid is strained. If the study shows those tools will help, put the funding, eligible households, deadlines, performance checks, and penalties into a signed public agreement before the company receives faster electric service.
Ask at:Zoning hearingsCity and county meetingsUtility-board meetingsUtility rate hearingsIncentive negotiationsDevelopment agreements
What a complete power plan looks like
Serve the project without putting the host area at risk.
No single answer works everywhere. A complete plan brings enough dependable power, strengthens the local grid, uses home energy where it can help, and keeps project costs off families and small businesses.
Make the project pay its own way
Put the cost of new power plants, lines, substations, studies, and other project work on the company creating the need.
Build new dependable power
Match city-scale demand with new gas, nuclear, utility storage, or other American power that works when it is needed.
Make the company commit for years
Require long contracts, minimum monthly payments, deposits, and protection if the project uses less power than promised or leaves.
Lower use when the grid is strained
Require the project to reduce its power use or run approved backup equipment during emergencies and other tight periods.
Put power on local homes
If a utility study shows it will help, the developer pays for rooftop solar paired with storage, home batteries, and programs that lower power use at busy times.
Build the lines and substations
Build the power lines, substations, and connection equipment the project needs, and put those costs on the project.
The cost rule
The customer creating the demand carries the cost.
A project that uses city-scale power should add to the local tax base and the power supply. The company creating the demand pays the costs and keeps paying for what it promised.
Sources: Tennessee Public Chapter 961; Florida SB 484; Oklahoma HB 2992; Utah SB 132 and Title 54.
How quickly can power arrive?
Build major power projects. Free up power now.
America still needs power plants and major power lines. While those are being built, a utility study may find that home batteries and other local tools can free up some power sooner.
The timing gap
Different tools move on different clocks.
A virtual power plant is a program that calls on many home batteries and smart devices at the same time. Those programs can launch faster than a large utility battery or a new gas plant, which need land, equipment, permits, and construction. Use the faster tool where it works while building the bigger system behind it.
These are example timelines for 20 megawatts. Real schedules vary, and the utility must confirm what will work in each location.
Working models
What other states are doing.
States are trying different ways to make data centers pay their own costs, bring new power, make long-term payment promises, reduce use during emergencies, and fund energy upgrades for homes. Each card says whether the idea is law, an approved utility deal, or still only a proposal.
Public Chapter 961 • Enacted 2026
Tennessee
Data centers asking for 50 megawatts or more must pay for the electric equipment and construction needed to serve them.
The project pays for the grid workSB 484 • Enacted 2026Florida
Projects asking for 50 megawatts or more must pay their own electric costs instead of shifting them to regular customers.
Regular customers are protectedHB 2992 • Enacted 2026Oklahoma
Data centers asking for 75 megawatts or more face special electric rates, long contracts, deposits, and protections if a project leaves.
Big promises require real moneySB 132 / Title 54 • Enacted 2025Utah
Projects asking for 100 megawatts or more can bring new power, but they must pay the added costs they create.
Bring power with the projectSB 6 • Enacted 2025 + Bring Your Own PowerTexas
Large projects must make long-term commitments, help pay for grid work, reduce use during emergencies, and bring more power when needed.
Growth must strengthen the Texas gridIURC 46322 / 46362 • ApprovedIndiana
Amazon’s 2,400-megawatt plan is paired with new power, storage, long-term payments, and protections for other customers.
Match new demand with new powerA796 / S731 • Enacted 2026New Jersey
Data centers can pay other customers to save or shift power through home upgrades, batteries, and similar programs, then receive credit for the power freed up.
Data centers can fund home energy upgradesHB1132 • Continued to 2027Virginia
The pending bill would direct 15 percent of new local data-center tax revenue to residential solar and battery storage in qualifying communities.
A pending local power proposalA better power agreement
The AED Community Power Standard
A data center should not receive faster electric service until the public sees a signed plan showing how the company will pay its own costs, bring enough dependable power, protect regular customers, and fund useful home energy systems when a utility study shows they will help.
- Put the cost of new power plants, lines, substations, studies, and other project work on the company creating the need.
- Require long contracts, minimum payments, deposits, and protection if the project uses less power than promised or leaves.
- Move needed power plants, pipelines, major lines, substations, and storage forward as quickly as possible.
- Require the project to lower its power use or run approved backup equipment when the grid is strained.
- Before granting faster service, study whether developer-funded home batteries, rooftop solar paired with storage, and programs that lower power use can help.
- If the study says they will help, make the developer pay so participating families pay nothing.
- Keep the rules, progress reports, costs, deadlines, and penalties public.
Bring this into the room
Give officials a specific alternative.
Ask for the complete power plan, propose a study of home batteries and other local energy tools, and put every useful promise into writing before approval.
Model motion
Before approving zoning, tax breaks, or faster electric service, require the developer and utility to publish a complete power plan. The plan must show how much power the project needs, what must be built, and who pays. It must also study whether developer-funded home batteries, rooftop solar paired with storage, and programs that lower use when the grid is strained can help the local system. If the study says they will help, put the funding, deadlines, progress reports, and penalties into a signed public agreement, with no cost to participating families.
Eight questions before the vote
- Is this a real, financed project tied to a real site?
- Is the company asking the utility to connect it faster than usual or give it a special electric deal?
- Which new power plants, lines, substations, and other costs might otherwise fall on regular customers?
- What new dependable power will the project build, buy, or pay for?
- Will the utility study developer-funded home batteries, rooftop solar paired with storage, and programs that lower use when the grid is strained?
- If the study shows those tools will help, how many homes will benefit, how much power will be freed up, and by what date?
- How long must the company keep paying, what is the minimum payment, and what happens if it uses less power or leaves?
- Where is the signed public agreement listing who pays, what gets built, the deadlines, the progress reports, and the penalties?
Research foundation
What the evidence actually supports
- The national pledge says data centers should pay their own way. The voluntary federal pledge says data-center companies should bring new power, pay for the grid work they need, and keep paying for the electricity they promised to use.Read the national pledge ↗
- New Jersey lets data centers pay for power savings in homes and businesses. The state’s new law tells utilities to create programs through which data centers can pay other customers to save or shift electricity using efficiency upgrades, batteries, and similar tools.Read New Jersey’s law ↗Read the signing summary ↗
- Virginia lawmakers have proposed using data-center taxes for home power. HB1132 would direct 15 percent of new local data-center tax revenue to residential solar and battery storage in qualifying communities. The bill was continued to 2027 and is not yet law.Read Virginia HB1132 ↗Read Virginia’s separate energy task-force law ↗
- Several states already make large power users protect regular customers. Tennessee, Florida, Oklahoma, Utah, and Texas use special electric rules, long payment promises, deposits, dedicated power, or emergency reductions so families are not left paying for failed projects.Read Tennessee’s law ↗Read Texas SB 6 ↗
- Home energy upgrades can free up power sooner. A Brattle study looked at data-center-funded home and community energy programs in four metro areas. It estimated they could free about 1,400 megawatts during the hottest summer hours with roughly $4.5 billion of investment. Brattle did not write or endorse AED’s plan.Read the Brattle report ↗Read Brattle’s summary ↗
- Home batteries help, but America still needs power plants and major lines. Local energy tools can help during busy hours. They do not replace gas, nuclear, pipelines, transmission lines, utility batteries, and other major infrastructure.Read the WGA energy report ↗
AED’s home-power proposal is for data centers asking for faster or special electric service. The utility must first show that the program would actually help the grid. Home batteries and similar tools can help, but they do not replace power plants or major power lines. The Brattle Group did not write or endorse AED’s plan.
Know when to ask
Do not learn about the bargain after the vote.
Get AED’s data-center alerts, meeting tools, and electric-bill updates. We will show you where projects are moving, which decisions matter, and how to put the Community Power Ask on the public record.
Policy updatesMeeting toolsAction alerts
The bottom line
The best projects leave the local power system stronger.
Americans for Energy Dominance
Data Center Community Power Fight Sheet
Power questions, public records, and a constructive alternative before the vote.
Start here
Find the next vote or approval. Get the project’s power request and costs into the public record. Ask what must be built, who pays if the project falls short or leaves, and whether developer-funded home batteries can strengthen the local grid.
Read this into the record
We welcome jobs and investment, but this project should not be approved until the public sees a complete power plan. The plan should show how much electricity the project wants, which new power plants, lines, and substations it will need, who will pay for each piece, and who pays if the project uses less power than promised or shuts down. The utility should also study whether the developer can pay for home batteries, rooftop solar paired with storage, and programs that reward local families for using less power when the grid is strained. If the study shows those tools will help, put the funding, eligible households, deadlines, performance checks, and penalties into a signed public agreement before the company receives faster electric service.
Powerpublish how much the project wants and when
Costsshow who pays for plants, lines, backup, and failure
Localstudy developer-funded home batteries
Questions before the vote
- Is this a real, financed project tied to a real site?
- Is the company asking the utility to connect it faster than usual or give it a special electric deal?
- Which new power plants, lines, substations, and other costs might otherwise fall on regular customers?
- What new dependable power will the project build, buy, or pay for?
- Will the utility study developer-funded home batteries, rooftop solar paired with storage, and programs that lower use when the grid is strained?
- If the study shows those tools will help, how many homes will benefit, how much power will be freed up, and by what date?
- How long must the company keep paying, what is the minimum payment, and what happens if it uses less power or leaves?
- Where is the signed public agreement listing who pays, what gets built, the deadlines, the progress reports, and the penalties?
Welcome good investment. Build the power plants and major lines America needs. If a utility study shows that home batteries, rooftop solar paired with storage, and programs that lower use can help the local grid, make the developer pay so participating families pay nothing.