1. United States
2. N.C.
3. Letter

I am writing as your constituent and a ratepayer to urge you to strengthen the Ratepayer Protection Act during its Senate consideration (S5028). I note that the House has passed its version of this bill (H.R. 9340), however, the bill is fatally flawed in its current form and requires substantial amendments before it can provide meaningful protection to families like mine. The White House "Ratepayer Protection Pledge" failed because it was voluntary and non-binding. The Ratepayer Protection Act repeats this critical mistake. The bill only requires states to "consider" adopting cost-recovery standards for large data centers. It does not mandate implementation. This is not protection; it is the illusion of protection. You must push for mandatory implementation with clear federal enforcement authority and real consequences for non-compliance. Anything less will leave ratepayers vulnerable when utilities face pressure to absorb costs from data center development. The Ratepayer Protection Act as currently framed also has dangerous omissions that leave families like mine exposed. Unless designed properly, data centers deplete aquifers in water-stressed regions and operate diesel generators that emit hundreds of times more pollution than standard power plants. These costs for water infrastructure upgrades and air quality monitoring and preservation should be borne by the data center, not by ratepayers. The Senate version of the Act must require data centers to cover these infrastructure and environmental costs upfront through bonding and financial assurances before construction begins, not after utilities incur them. The current approach allows costs to accumulate before recovery is even attempted. Additionally, the bill fails to address what happens when data centers reduce loads or exit contracts early, leaving ratepayers stranded with investments they never authorized. You must demand meaningful changes in the Senate version of the bill. I support the intent of Ratepayer Protection Act only if the Senate version includes mandatory cost-recovery implementation with federal enforcement mechanisms, explicit requirements that data centers cover water and air quality costs, upfront bonding requirements, penalties for contract termination that strand ratepayer investments, and preserves local siting authority in water-stressed and polluted regions. My utility bills are already rising. Please oppose any Senate version that weakens water and air quality protections or creates loopholes for costs to flow to households. Ratepayers deserve enforceable protection, not promises.