NEWS: Regulators and utilities hope large-load tariffs can shield ratepayers from the data center boom.

PA’s PUC issued a "first-of-its-kind" model tariff for large loads >50 MW. The non-binding order encourages utilities to charge data centers for upgrades that wouldn’t be necessary "but for" their interconnection—regardless of whether other customers later benefit from the new infrastructure.

Zooming out: Utilities and officials around the country are developing new tariffs and agreements that order large-load customers to pay for new generation and grid upgrades, per EEI analysis. Plus, subsidiaries of major holding companies like DTE Energy and Southern Company have recently filed multi-year residential rate freezes.