Faith, Big Tech companies are rapidly building AI data centers that require more and more energy from our grid. In fact, it's estimated that a typical AI data center uses the same amount of electricity as 100,000 households annually. So utility companies across the country are spending billions of dollars updating their infrastructure to support the unprecedented energy demands coming from these new AI data centers. Now, you may assume that the Big Tech companies would be responsible for covering the costs necessary to accommodate all of the energy they're gobbling up. Think again. The utility companies are recouping those costs by raising consumers' (cough, cough: YOUR) household utility bills instead — forcing American families to bankroll the electricity costs of trillion-dollar tech companies. To add insult to injury, many data centers are receiving discounted rates on energy as the utility companies are trying to attract their business. I've opened an investigation into the extent to which Big Tech AI data centers are driving up your electricity costs, and I've sent inquiries to Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, CoreWeave, Digital Reality, and Equinix demanding answers on their energy usage and costs being passed to consumers. Add your name to co-sign my letter demanding transparency from Big Tech companies who expect everyday consumers to foot the bill of their AI gamble. I'm deeply concerned about the impact of data centers on local communities, and the strain they put on resources like land, water, and electricity. And it's a strain that will only get worse as these companies double down on AI investments. Case in point: The Department of Energy estimates that data centers could make up 12% of all U.S. power consumption by 2028. Meanwhile, Donald "I'll Lower Costs On Day One" Trump seems unconcerned about your ballooning energy bill. In fact, he signed an executive order to prevent states from regulating AI in a clear giveaway to his Big Tech megadonors. Contracts between data centers and utility companies are almost always confidential, which leaves the public in the dark on why energy costs are skyrocketing, and how much Big Tech companies are paying for it. That's why we need answers and transparency from Big Tech companies. Add your name: Join me in demanding that Big Tech companies must pay their fair share for the electrical grid updates made specifically to accommodate their data centers' energy needs. Thanks for raising your voice on this important issue. I'm going to stay on it, and I'll keep you posted. — Elizabeth  |
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