Trump Would Make Data Centers Supply Their Own Power

President Trump said Wednesday that new and large data centers would have to supply their own electricity, leaving the companies building them to cover the cost. He also said operators should give or sell excess power to nearby communities or the grid. His argument: the measure would keep electricity prices from rising.

Who Pays for the Power

Americans have grown wary of data-center projects because of concerns about electricity costs, pressure on water resources, noise and air pollution. Trump said the requirement could lower prices, writing on Truth Social, “In fact, there could be a substantial decrease. Other elements likewise!” That remains a claim about a proposed requirement, not a reported outcome.

Dozens of companies, including Meta, Amazon and Google, have agreed to pay for higher energy costs caused by their data centers under Trump's ratepayer protection pledge. The pledge addresses energy costs; Trump's Wednesday statement laid out a requirement for new and large facilities to provide their own electricity and share or sell excess power. The article doesn't explain how officials would implement the new requirement or whether it matches the pledge.

The costs go beyond electricity. A medium-sized data center can use up to about 110 million gallons of water a year for cooling, according to an analysis by the nonprofit Environmental and Energy Study Institute last year. That's equivalent to the annual water use of roughly 1,000 households. The comparison puts household water use alongside an industry built to support artificial intelligence.

Communities Push Back

Some communities receive more tax revenue from data centers; others have offered tax breaks to attract investment. Ohio and Illinois have paused some tax incentive programs in recent months. New York instituted the nation's first statewide freeze on new “hyperscale” data centers. Those are separate local and state decisions, not a shared community plan or mutual-aid effort.

Opposition has focused on electricity costs, water resources, noise and air pollution. In Ohio, some residents criticized data-center development during a tight Senate race. At a rally for Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio), Trump stressed how “much money” the state would make. Ohio opponents have criticized Husted for wanting to bring data centers to the state while serving as lieutenant governor.

Trump dismissed opponents last month. He claimed data-center critics wanted “poverty, crime and squalor” and accused communities opposing the facilities of wanting to be “backwards and poor.” Earlier this month, he said, “You can't just turn them off. They'll go to China.” The article recounts those arguments alongside residents’ concerns, but includes no direct quote from a local opponent.

The Sales Pitch and Its Limits

Technology companies argue that data centers support artificial intelligence development. Concerns about risks from rogue software have also driven opposition to AI, particularly after recent attempted and successful hacks into government websites. Those worries followed a warning from former OpenAI and Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon that AI could become an existential threat to humanity by the end of the decade.

Trump called data centers “highly unpopular in a certain area” but “extremely popular when a financial deal is struck,” then urged operators: “MAKE DEALS, and get them built!!!” His pitch rests on financial deals and promised revenue. Ohio and Illinois have paused some tax incentives, and New York has frozen new “hyperscale” data centers, showing that development isn't moving ahead everywhere without resistance. The article identifies no election or legislative fix for disputes over power, water, pollution or AI risks. Instead, it describes communities objecting as companies and officials argue over the terms of expansion.