Trump highlights tech power pledge in infrastructure message

Donald Trump has pointed to a pledge by technology companies to cover the electricity costs of their data centres, saying it would keep those expenses from falling on American families.

In a White House message dated 10 November for Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience Month, the US president said the companies had agreed to pay for the new power generation and grid upgrades their centres require.

The Ratepayer Protection Pledge was signed in March, not November. Google, Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, Oracle, xAI and OpenAI were among the original signatories, Reuters and the Associated Press reported at the time.

Under the pledge, companies agree to build or buy new or additional electricity generation and pay for the infrastructure upgrades needed to serve their centres. They also agree to negotiate separate rates with utilities and state governments, paying for the power and infrastructure made available to them even if they do not use the electricity.

At the March signing, the Associated Press reported that energy experts doubted whether the promises could slow rising electricity prices. The effect of the pledge on household bills remains unclear.