Several states, including Michigan, are holding primary elections today for House and Senate seats. In Michigan, the Democratic candidates for Senate, Dr. Abdul el Sayed and Rep. Haley Stevens, have differing views on data centers. Both oppose data centers increasing utility rates for households, but el Sayed is more critical of their expansion, supported by figures like Sen. Bernie Sanders. He has proposed 'Terms of Engagement' for data centers, requiring them to cover their energy costs. In contrast, Stevens has emphasized the need for a responsible policy framework and believes data centers are necessary for competition in AI, while also stating that costs should not be passed to households.
Additionally, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has placed a moratorium on new data centers to assess their power usage, as the state faces a surge in requests for connections to its grid. This moratorium has raised concerns among developers about its impact on the industry. Developers argue that they can provide benefits such as job creation and infrastructure investment, but face challenges in convincing the public of the necessity of these facilities amid rising electricity prices and environmental concerns.
Other news includes the White House's expected extension of the Jones Act waiver to keep gas prices low, a federal appeals court ruling against the EPA's freeze on clean energy grants, falling oil prices amid potential U.S.-Iran agreements, BP's sale of its biogas business, wildfires in Washington prompting evacuations, and a new nuclear cooperation agreement with Paraguay.