Oklahomans Push Back on Making Residents Pay for Data Center Costs

As artificial intelligence use grows, more and more large data centers are being built to store, process, and transmit digital information. These large data centers require massive amounts of electricity and water to operate. While data centers play an important role in powering today’s digital economy, their energy needs can strain local power grids and require expensive upgrades, costs that may ultimately be passed on to residential utility customers. In fact, large data centers are already driving up utility costs in some areas of the country.

In order to gauge Oklahomans’ views of utility costs and who should pay for the costs associated with large data centers, AARP conducted a survey among 850 Oklahomans age 50 and older in April 2026.

This new AARP research reveals that older Oklahomans are already concerned about utility costs and do not think they should pay for the costs of operating, maintaining, or building new large data centers. The overwhelming majority are also concerned about the impact of large data centers on the reliability of their own electric service (86%) and on the available water supply (88%). They are looking to state elected officials to ensure that residential utility customers do not pay for the costs of serving new large data centers.

Oklahomans expect elected officials to ensure that existing residential utility customers do not pay for large data centers’ operating costs

More than nine in ten (92%) older Oklahomans agree that state policy makers should ensure that existing residential utility customers do not pay for the costs of serving new large data centers. When asked who they think should pay for the upgrades to power grids and power plants required to support large data centers, 86% of older Oklahomans say that the data center companies should pay for the costs of these upgrades.

Oklahomans are more likely to vote for elected officials who address utility affordability

Nearly all older Oklahomans agree that state leaders are responsible for addressing utility affordability. At the same time, many feel that current efforts have fallen short of effectiveness. 97% agree that state elected officials should work to ensure utility costs are affordable, while 67% say officials are not currently doing enough. Among likely voters, 73% say they are more likely to support a candidate who promises to work on lowering utility rates.

Rising electricity costs are a widespread concern

Electricity costs are rising for most older Oklahomans who pay an electricity bill, with 65% reporting that their household’s monthly electricity bill has increased over the past 12 months. Even more (77%) say they are concerned about their electricity bill increasing. In fact, 40% say that an increase in their electricity bill would represent a “major problem” for their finances.

Older Oklahomans are making tradeoffs to afford utilities

Oklahomans age 50-plus strongly believe that people should not have to choose between paying for utilities and paying for other necessities like food and medicine. For many, however, covering the costs of their utilities has meant making difficult tradeoffs. In the past 12 months, 40% of older Oklahomans who pay an electric bill have cut back on basic expenses like groceries as a result of the costs of their utilities. Further, roughly one in five have paid other bills late or paid less than the amount due (22%), taken on more debt (19%), or cut back on medical expenses including prescription medication (19%) due to the costs of their utilities.

Oklahomans support policy solutions that protect residential utility customers from service disruptions caused by large data centers

There is widespread concern among Oklahomans age 50-plus that the electricity needs of large data centers may strain the power grid and cause service disruptions. Specifically, 86% are concerned that the electricity needs of large data centers may impact the reliability of their own electric service at home. Moreover, 94% of older Oklahomans agree that, during a power grid emergency, large data centers should be required to reduce their own power use first, before utility companies cut power to residential customers.

Oklahomans want transparency and assurances that existing residential utility customers won’t bear the costs of building new infrastructure to support data centers

Virtually all Oklahomans 50-plus (96%) believe it is important that electricity rates paid by large data centers are set through a transparent, public process. Many would support allowing data centers to sell their unused power back to utility companies, but only if this results in lower utility bills for Oklahoma residents (71%).

Although power grid upgrades will be needed in the future to meet growing demand for electricity from large data centers, the overwhelming majority (80%) of older Oklahomans oppose allowing utility companies to preemptively raise residential customers’ rates to subsidize future improvements that they may not actually use or benefit from.

Implications

Older Oklahomans have significant concerns about large data centers and utility affordability, with rising electricity costs affecting household budgets and, for many, leading to difficult financial tradeoffs. Fluctuations in utility costs can create financial instability for residential customers, especially older adults who are living on fixed incomes.

Oklahomans expect state leaders to do more to address utility affordability and, in particular, ensure that residential customers do not bear the costs of serving large data centers.

Methodology

Findings are based on an AARP survey of 850 Oklahoma residents age 50-plus conducted April 3 to 9, 2026, by ANR Market Research Consultants and Braun Research, Inc. The mixed-mode survey used a sample of landline and cellphone numbers, with 401 interviews completed by phone and 449 completed via text-to-web. Data are weighted to reflect Oklahoma’s population age 50-plus based on age, region, race/ethnicity, and gender.

For more information, contact S. Kathi Brown at skbrown@aarp.org.  Media inquiries should be directed to Melanie Henry at mhenry@aarp.org.