NEW ANALYSIS: Pennsylvania Families Could Save $1,820 on Electric Bills If Data Centers Are Required to Pay for Their Own Energy

A new, independent analysis from Greenline Insights finds that a package of policies requiring data centers—not everyday families—to pay for the energy costs they create could save the average Pennsylvania household $1,820 through 2040, for a total of $9.9 billion in statewide savings. The findings model Governor Shapiro’s GRID executive order and the Ratepayer and Grid Protection Act (HB 1834) together as a comprehensive Data Center Cost Allocation Package

Read the full analysis here.

Key findings include:

• $8.1 billion ($1,489 per household by 2040) comes from shifting cost responsibility onto data centers: $5.5 billion ($1,010 per household) from allocating the costs of electricity generation and $2.6 billion ($479 per household) from allocating the costs of new generation capacity, if needed.
• $1.8 billion ($330 per household by 2040) in additional low-income energy assistance, funded by a new annual $40,000-per-megawatt fee on large data centers, projected to raise approximately $265 million in 2040 for more assistance alone.
• 9.9 billion in total household savings ($1,820 per household by 2040) statewide from 2027 through 2040 under the full Data Center Cost Allocation Package.
  

Pennsylvania has one of the largest data center pipelines in the country. As more of these facilities come online, Greenline found that by 2040, the massive increase in projected electricity demand from data centers will drive up the Commonwealth’s electricity generation costs by an estimated $1.9 billion that year alone. Without action, families and businesses across Pennsylvania would be left paying that bill.

“Pennsylvania families are already struggling to pay their energy bills, and they’ll pay even more if power-hungry data centers are allowed to pass their costs onto everyone else,” said Evergreen Action Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Regional Director Catherine Zingg. “These policies make data centers pay for their own energy and direct that revenue to help the families struggling the most with rising electricity costs. Pennsylvania leaders face a clear choice: start cutting costs for families now, or stick them with the bill for Big Tech’s energy demands.” 

“The clock is ticking for Pennsylvania leaders to protect families from paying the price for the data center boom,” said Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania Political & Legislative Director Katie Blume. “The Data Center Cost Allocation Package allows the Commonwealth to welcome economic growth without leaving families and businesses to foot the bill. Communities across the state are calling for action—now leaders must deliver and pass this legislation.” 

Implementing the Data Center Cost Allocation Package is crucial to ensuring families and businesses aren’t left paying the bill for Big Tech. The 2026 gubernatorial and state legislative elections will shape Pennsylvania’s approach to data center affordability, including whether leaders act to put these protections into law in 2027. 

Find full analysis here.

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