As data centers drive new energy demand, Colorado families, farmers, and small businesses should not be left paying for the power generation and grid upgrades needed to serve large energy users.
Representative Gabe Evans authored the bipartisan Ratepayer Protection Act and helped pass it through the House, where it received overwhelming bipartisan support. Gabe Evans' legislation is focused on protecting existing ratepayers as data center energy demand continues to grow.
Representative Gabe Evans' Ratepayer Protection Act passed the House 417-3. The legislation is designed to protect existing ratepayers from infrastructure costs associated with large data centers and other large energy users.
Representative Gabe Evan's bill would require states without data center specific standards to hold hearings and make state-specific decisions about how large-load customers should cover the costs of new generation, transmission lines, and other grid upgrades needed to serve them. This gives state and local officials a role in establishing protections tailored to their communities.
Colorado can benefit from new technology and investment without shifting the associated energy infrastructure costs onto families and small businesses.
Representative Gabe Evans' Ratepayer Protection Act is intended to ensure large data centers are responsible for the additional infrastructure required to serve their energy needs, while preserving flexibility for states to determine how those protections should work locally.
Thank you Representative Gabe Evans for listening to Colorado and working across the aisle to protect Coloradans from higher utility bills.
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