Are AI data centers driving up our electricity bills?

 

Many people are right to be concerned. AI data centers consume large amounts of electricity, and if left unregulated, their growing energy demand can raise costs for families and strain local grids. RAISE-UP believes consumers should not have to pay higher bills because private corporations externalize their costs.

 

Companies that profit from AI must be fully responsible for the electricity they use—including paying for new infrastructure and clean-energy development—rather than shifting those costs onto the public.

These firms should also mitigate other local impacts, such as water use, traffic, noise, and land disruption, by investing directly in community benefits. It’s unacceptable for corporations to internalize all the profits while externalizing the costs—especially when their products may also replace people’s jobs.

 

At the same time, RAISE-UP sees an opportunity: with smart planning, data center development can help rebuild America’s industrial and civic backbone. Locating AI infrastructure strategically—in areas with underused land, strong labor, and renewable-energy potential—can revitalize small towns, support local manufacturing supply chains, and attract new housing, healthcare, and schools. When done responsibly, AI development can become part of a national renewal effort: powering both the digital future and the rebuilding of thriving, equitable communities across the country.

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