Bill > H638

Introduced Session

AN ACT TO ASSIGN THE COST OF NEW DATA CENTERS, ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS, AND ASSOCIATED ELECTRICITY DEMANDS TO THOSE WHO BENEFIT DIRECTLY FROM THESE POWER SUPPLIES. Whereas, Artificial Intelligence (AI) as commonly understood, is becoming increasingly integrated into everyday life and across multiple sectors - if not every sector - of the American economy; and Whereas, AI is currently placing strains on current power grids and its demand is expected to increase; and Whereas, the Environmental Protection Agency's rules released in 2024 aim to drastically increase the purchase and use of electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles; and Whereas, electric grid operators project a rapid increase in American electricity demand, up 4.7% between 2023 and 2028, caused by growth in data centers and electric vehicles; and Whereas, rapid growth of electricity demand without sufficient baseload generation in place to meet the demand jeopardizes reliability and affordability and will cause interruptions of service, often when needed most, during the hottest or coldest months; and Whereas, 230 coal plants, which produced twenty percent (20%) of American electricity in 2022, are being targeted for closure by activist groups, state and federal regulators, and utilities, with dozens across the nation slated for closure in the next three years; and Whereas, the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC), and the Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs) have warned that large swathes of the United States face elevated risks of electricity shortfalls now and in the future; and Whereas, restricting the supply of electricity without immediate substitutes jeopardizes reliability and affordability and will cause interruptions of service, often when needed most, during the hottest or coldest months; and Whereas, America's coal and natural gas plants should not be recklessly decommissioned or regulated out of existence, they should be kept online (readily available) to meet the projected rapid increase in electricity demand caused by new data centers and electric vehicles; and Whereas, the North Carolina Utilities Commission must prioritize retaining and adding dispatchable, on-demand baseload power to meet the anticipated increase in demand; and Whereas, newly built data centers should be the first to have their power curtailed in the event that new dispatchable power is not added to the grid and electricity blackouts or brownouts occur; and Whereas, those benefitting directly from new dispatchable power supplies, like EV and PHEV users and data centers, should have to cover the cost of the additional demand they are placing on the electric grid; Now, therefore,

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Dudley Greene (R)*,  Donnie Loftis (R)*,  Steve Tyson (R)*,  Bill Ward (R)*,  Ben Moss (R), 

Ref to the Com on Energy and Public Utilities, if favorable, Finance, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House (on 04/02/2025)

Official Document