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To require that new and existing data centers use off-grid power and water supplies, and for other purposes.
Summary
- Requires data centers with 5 or more megawatts of power demand to obtain all electricity from off-grid sources such as captive power plants or on-site generation rather than the electric grid.
- Requires data centers to obtain all water from on-site or separate sources rather than the public water system.
- Applies to both new data centers and existing data centers beginning 180 days after the bill's enactment.
- Requires data centers to have backup power and backup water supplies from the same off-grid and separate sources.
- Incorporates a March 9, 2026 Presidential Proclamation titled "Ratepayer Protection Pledge" as law.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Byron Donalds’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- NULL $212,903
- ENTREPRENEUR $17,899
- ANDREESSEN HOROWITZ $13,200
- ROBINHOOD MARKETS INC $12,750
- SAULSBURY INDUSTRIES $9,900
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Byron Donalds → · Outside spending →
Actions (2)
- Jul 20, 2026 Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. · house
- Jul 20, 2026 Introduced in House
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Text versions (1)
Bills are re-published as they move (Introduced → Reported → Engrossed → Enrolled …). Each stage below is a separate text; pick two to see what changed. Data from Congress.gov.
Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 20, 2026
Mr. Donalds introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
A BILL
To require that new and existing data centers use off-grid power and water supplies, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Protecting Ratepayers Act”.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Covered entity.—The term “covered entity” means a private company, or other private entity, that—
(A) owns, operates, or maintains a data center; or
(B) has plans to own, operate, or maintain a data center within the next 5 years.
(2) Data center.—The term “data center” means a data center, as defined in section 453(a) of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17112(a)), with a power demand of 5 megawatts or more.
(3) Existing data center.—The term “existing data center” means a data center that has begun operations as of the date of enactment of this Act.
(4) New data center.—The term “new data center” means a data center or planned data center that is not yet operational as of the date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 3. DATA CENTER REQUIREMENT FOR OFF-GRID POWER AND WATER SUPPLY.
Beginning on the date that is 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, a covered entity may not build, own, operate, or maintain a new data center or existing data center unless the data center derives all—
(1) energy, including back-up energy, from a captive power plant, on-site power generation, or some other source or combination of sources separate from, and not deriving power from, the electric grid; and
(2) water, including back-up water, from an on-site water source, or some other water source or combination of sources separate from, and not deriving water from, the public water system.
SEC. 4. RATEPAYER PROTECTION PLEDGE.
Proclamation of the President issued on March 9, 2026, titled “Ratepayer Protection Pledge” (91 Fed. Reg. 11439) shall have the full force and effect of law. <all>
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