Large data centers in California may soon be required to pay surcharges to cover the cost of increased energy demand they generate.
The surcharges, which would be considered tax increases for certain payers, would be instituted by a newly introduced bill (S.B. 1168) aimed at helping to offset the extra cost data centers may impose on surrounding communities.
States across the country have already begun efforts to rein in or discourage data centers from being built, as existing facilities demand significant water and electricity resources. The rapid development of data centers increased costs for consumers in the largest ...