Consumer Reports Urges Senate to Advance S. 5653
The group pressed senators to move the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act to shield existing ratepayers from data center costs.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Utilities
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Consumer Reports delivered a letter to Senators urging advancement of the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act, designated S. 5653. The bill would set a federal floor ensuring existing ratepayers do not bear incremental costs of covered data center facilities of 20 megawatts or more.
Why it matters
Americans are reporting strained household budgets as electricity bills rise, and data center expansion is among the factors cited as affecting prices. The bill's provisions aim to prevent existing customers from absorbing those costs across the country.
S. 5653 directly addresses five of the dozen mechanisms Consumer Reports identified through which data center expansion can raise bills for existing customers, with a 20-megawatt threshold for covered facilities. The analysis does not indicate how the remaining seven mechanisms would be handled under the bill.
The players
Consumer Reports
A nonprofit consumer advocacy organization known for independent product testing and consumer research.
The details
The bill requires utilities to secure financial assurances before building covered facilities and protects consumers against stranded-asset debt if a facility departs. It also confirms state authority to require large loads to procure dedicated clean generation or provide grid flexibility, and incentivizes high-efficiency advanced conductors to expand transmission capacity within existing rights-of-way.
Timeline
November 5, 2026: Consumer Reports letter delivered to Senators urging advancement of S. 5653.
Roadmap
The push centers on S. 5653, the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act, which would establish a federal floor preventing existing ratepayers from bearing the incremental costs of large data center facilities. Consumer Reports is backing the bill's provisions as a response to the cost mechanisms its analysis identified.
If enacted, the bill would limit the chance that existing customers absorb costs tied to new large data centers in their utility service areas. Consumers can also review their own utility bills and compare rates as Consumer Reports' Bill Decoder collects national price data.
The takeaway
Rising electricity bills are drawing national attention, and tracking your own utility charges against regional trends can help you spot unexpected increases early. Keeping an eye on pending federal legislation like S. 5653 can also show how cost-allocation rules for new power-hungry facilities may affect your bill.
Further reading
Explore more on Utilities for context on how data center growth is reshaping electricity costs nationwide.
Source note: This article includes information reported by CR Advocacy.
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