This morning, April 21, 2026, U.S. Representative Nick Begich (R-Alaska), along with Congressman Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) and Burgess Owens (R-Utah), introduced the House companion bill to the DATA Act of 2026, which seeks to expand energy production without raising costs for Americans.
The Decentralized Access to Technology Alternatives (DATA) Act of 2026 was first introduced by Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas). The bill creates a new category of electric utility: the consumer-regulated electric utility (CREU). CRUEs are off-grid electric systems that are “physically isolated from all regulated utilities, the bulk power system, and the Bulk Electric System.” The Act exempts these off-grid systems from federal regulations under the Federal Power Act, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Department of Energy, and the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 2005.
While companies can operate these systems without federal oversight, the companies must foot the bill without the ability to pass it off to ratepayers. The isolation from the bulk power grid ensures American households will not see higher utility bills as the technology industry continues to grow and increase its energy demand.
Rep. Begich commented: “America must win the race to lead in artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. The DATA Act allows manufacturers to operate on fully self-contained, ‘grid-of-one’ power systems, so innovation can scale without forcing households to subsidize massive new energy demands or straining local utilities. For Alaska, this approach is especially critical. By leveraging our stranded energy assets and vast resource potential, this legislation creates a pathway for new jobs, new revenue, and long-term economic growth without raising energy costs for American families.”
The Act comes on the heels of President Trump’s “Ratepayer Protection Pledge Proclamation,” which promises, “leading United States hyperscalers and AI companies guarantee that data centers’ energy needs will not increase household electricity costs for American citizens.”
Seven leading technology companies accepted the pledge on March 4, 2026, agreeing to “build, bring, or buy the new generation resources and electricity needed to satisfy their energy demands, and pay for all new power delivery infrastructure upgrades to service their data centers.” They also promise to “voluntarily negotiate new, separate rate structures with their utilities and relevant State governments, and pay those rates, and for their infrastructure, whether they use the electricity or not. They will also invest in local communities and coordinate with grid operators to contribute to a more reliable grid.”
The President’s Proclamation effectuates the pledge as the national policy of the United States of America.
