Senate Democrats block datacenter energy bill, saying ‘toothless’ legislation ‘misses the mark’

Senate Democrats blocked the Ratepayer Protection Act aimed at making datacenters pay for electricity grid upgrades to reduce consumer bills. The bill failed 57-43, short of the 60 votes needed, despite House approval. The legislation was a bipartisan effort to address voter concerns about rising energy costs linked to datacenter growth ahead of the 2026 midterms.