Trump Expands AI Utility Pledge to 200 New Signatories — Without Enforcement Mechanisms

On July 23, 2026, the Trump administration expanded its Ratepayer Protection Pledge, adding 200 utilities, data centre developers, and states. Signatories commit to covering every dollar of power infrastructure their AI facilities require. The pledge, however, carries no enforceable consumer protections. An ICF analysis projects AI data centre demand could raise monthly bills 15–40% by 2030, and a May Gallup poll found 70% of Americans oppose local data centre construction.