AG ​Torrez led a multistate coalition of attorneys general calling on Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Chair to ensure that anticipated proposed rules about data center connections to the power grid do not unfairly shift infrastructure costs onto residential consumers and small businesses.

In the letter to FERC Chair Laura V. Swett, AG Torrez and the coalition emphasized that while technological innovation and economic growth are important national priorities, those goals must not come at the expense of affordability for everyday ratepayers. The attorneys general urged FERC to respect state ratemaking authority and avoid federal policies that would allow large, energy-intensive data centers to pass the cost of grid upgrades onto consumers who receive no corresponding benefit.

“As attorneys general, we have a responsibility to protect the public interest and ensure that families and small businesses are not forced to subsidize grid upgrades driven solely by data center energy demands. States have long held the authority to oversee utility rates and protect consumers, and federal rulemaking should reinforce—not undermine—that role.” – AG Torrez