Story perspectives

Trump Expands Ratepayer Pledge to Utilities, Governors

7/24/2026

Center

Trump Expands Pledge

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on July 23, 2026, that the Ratepayer Protection Pledge is being expanded to include utilities and state governors.
The administration said the nonbinding pledge obliges signatories to fund new generation, cover grid-upgrade expenses, and negotiate separate rate structures with utilities.
It now includes 200 utilities and developers, covering roughly 80 % of U.S. electricity.
Transmission-congestion costs jumped 81 % to $3.2 billion in 2025, indicating grid strain.

Right

Trump Expands Pledge

U.S. President Donald Trump announced July 23, 2026, that the Ratepayer Protection Pledge will expand to utilities and state governors.
The expansion, backed by 23 Republican governors and nearly 200 stakeholders, says data-center developers will shoulder electricity costs, not consumers.
A May Gallup poll found 70% of Americans oppose building data centers in their communities.
Governor Kathy Hochul’s order halting large data-center construction drew business criticism fearing projects may relocate.

Blindspot

Energy analysts reported that transmission-congestion costs rose 81 % to $3.2 billion in 2025, indicating growing strain on the U.S. power grid.
Within this story's sources, this angle appears mainly in Center-leaning coverage and receives less attention in Right-leaning coverage.

History

Historical Context

The Energy Policy Act of 1992, signed by George H. W. Bush and effective 1992, introduced electric-power deregulation and efficiency standards in 27 titles. Those changes opened markets to competition, a precedent cited by the 2026 Ratepayer Protection Pledge promoted by Donald Trump and 23 Republican governors. The pledge, backed by nearly 200 developers, may spur upgrades but could face lawsuits from New York and the Edison Electric Institute.

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Trump Expands Pledge

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on July 23, 2026, that the Ratepayer Protection Pledge is being expanded to include utilities and state governors.
The administration said the nonbinding pledge obliges signatories to fund new generation, cover grid-upgrade expenses, and negotiate separate rate structures with utilities.
It now includes 200 utilities and developers, covering roughly 80 % of U.S. electricity.
Transmission-congestion costs jumped 81 % to $3.2 billion in 2025, indicating grid strain.

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