Rep. Crank Votes to Protect Ratepayers from Higher Utility Rates

September 16, 2026 Press Release WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, Representative Jeff Crank (CO-05) voted in favor of H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act. Currently, the United States is in the race for AI dominance, which is critical to our economic and national security. However, communities across the nation are concerned about the pace in which AI data centers are being constructed and the cost to consumers electric bills. The Ratepayer Protection Act ensures that Americans are not forced to pick up the bill for the grid upgrades and new energy generation that is used to operate large data centers. It also mandates that state utility regulators consider rules for large-load data centers to cover the cost of power generation and other energy upgrades needed to meet the demand. "I am proud to have cosponsored the Ratepayer Protection Act, led by fellow Coloradan Representative Gabe Evans," said Rep. Jeff Crank. "This bill will ensure that new investments in power generation and infrastructure aren't made at the expense of higher utility rates for the families in Colorado's Fifth Congressional District." Background: H.R. 9340 would protect consumers from rate increases resulting from data center construction by having state utility commissions consider large-load standards for data centers drawing more than 100 MW of power, which would ensure they pay for the full incremental costs to serve their loads. By establishing large-load standards, states can ensure that American families are not left footing the bill for AI data center growth. ###