Major utilities and data center operators representing roughly 80% of the electricity supplied to U.S. homes and businesses have pledged to limit bill increases tied to the growing power demands of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. The commitment, aligned with President Donald Trump’s recent initiative, aims to address public concerns over the rising energy consumption associated with AI and its potential impact on consumer electricity costs.

Among the nearly 200 organizations signing on are prominent energy companies, including NextEra Energy and Duke Energy, as well as data center firms such as Equinix and Digital Realty. Republican governors from Louisiana and Georgia, Jeff Landry and Brian Kemp respectively, have also endorsed the pledge and are expected to participate in a White House event scheduled for Thursday at the Environmental Protection Agency headquarters where the initiative will be formally announced.

The agreement comes amid increasing scrutiny of the energy footprint of AI technologies, which require substantial electricity to operate and train complex models in large-scale data centers. Activists and some lawmakers have protested the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure over concerns that rising demand could inflate electricity bills and strain power grids.

Details about the specific mechanisms to prevent rate hikes linked to AI power usage have yet to be fully disclosed. However, a White House official acknowledged the potential challenges in enforcing these commitments, noting that electricity prices are largely determined through regional regulatory systems and market dynamics, which may complicate efforts to segregate and control AI-related costs.

This initiative represents a coordinated attempt by utilities, data center operators, and government leaders to balance the burgeoning AI industry’s energy needs with consumer protection goals. While the pledge is voluntary and its implementation details remain unclear, backers hope it will mitigate public backlash and opposition to the AI sector’s continued growth in the United States.