Oklahoma Enacts Data Center Consumer Protection Law to Safeguard Utility Rates

Oklahoma has enacted new legislation to protect residential ratepayers from rising utility costs tied to high-load energy users, such as data centers. House Bill 2992, the Data Center Consumer Ratepayer Protection Act of 2026 by Rep. Brad Boles (R-Marlow) and Sen. Grant Green (R-Wellston) ensures that data centers pay for the infrastructure costs tied to their operations instead of passing those costs on to residential customers.

Why This Matters

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Oklahoma is experiencing rapid growth in data center development, driving significant increases in electricity demand. Without protections like HB 2992, the cost of new infrastructure could be passed on to households through higher utility bills.

A recent AARP survey found that 86% of Oklahoma residents believe data center companies, not households, should pay for the infrastructure needed to support their energy use.

Key Takeaways

• Applies to data centers that consume 75 megawatts or more
• Requires data centers to pay the costs they create, so households are not footing the bill
• Protects residential customers from higher utility rates
• Includes protections so families are not stuck paying for unused or abandoned energy infrastructure

AARP Oklahoma’s Perspective

“People are already scaling back on groceries and medicine just to keep pace with rising utility bills,” said AARP Oklahoma Associate State Director Advocacy Joy McGill. “This law ensures large-scale data centers to pay their fair share without saddling residential customers with higher costs.”