8 Democratic Governors Urge Big Tech To Pay Their Fair Share - CleanTechnica

Eight Democratic governors from Pennsylvania, Delaware, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Maryland have jointly urged Big Tech companies to pay their fair share for the significant electricity demand their data centers place on the regional power grid managed by PJM, the nation’s largest grid operator. This call to action coincides with PJM’s upcoming policy update submission to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, addressing the challenges of large load additions from data centers. The governors support extending a price cap on electricity capacity auctions, initially implemented to protect consumers from soaring costs, while discussions continue on other measures such as expedited interconnection for data center generation. Environmental advocates like the Sierra Club commend the governors’ leadership and ongoing negotiations, emphasizing the need for policies that ensure fairness and reliability for the 67 million people served by PJM. They stress the importance of expanding low-cost, clean energy sources—including wind, solar, battery storage, and geothermal—to mitigate rising electricity costs. The Sierra Club also highlights the potential for