Federal energy official says the White House Ratepayer Protection Pledge is designed to complement state law and utility regulation as Oklahoma prepares for growing electricity demand from data centers.
OKLAHOMA CITY — As Oklahoma competes for new data centers, a top U.S. Department of Energy official says protecting residential electric customers from higher bills will ultimately depend on state governments and utility regulators, even as the Trump administration promotes a voluntary national Ratepayer Protection Pledge.
Assistant Secretary for Electricity Catherine Jereza said the pledge is intended to reinforce, not replace, state oversight as utilities and regulators prepare for growing electricity demand.
Federal role vs. state oversight
Jereza said the Department of Energy views the White House initiative as one part of a broader framework involving federal agencies, state governments, utility regulators and the electric industry.
“Ultimately, what we see is we’re working with them to ensure that the tech companies pay for the infrastructure upgrades, and then it’s not the families that are doing that,” she said.
While the White House pledge is voluntary, Jereza said implementation depends on multiple layers of government.
She said the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is developing rules governing wholesale electric markets and large-load interconnections, while the Department of Energy works with utilities, technology companies and states on research, technical issues and grid planning.
“Our connection with them is one of support,” she said. “We think that the principles of the data centers paying for that infrastructure generation and upgrades, we’re supportive of that.”
Oklahoma’s framework
Earlier this year, Oklahoma enacted the Data Center Customer Ratepayer Protection Act of 2026. The law is intended to require large new electric customers, such as data centers, to bear the costs of infrastructure needed to serve them rather than shifting those costs to existing residential and small-business customers.
The Oklahoma Corporation Commission is also considering large-load tariffs proposed by the state’s regulated electric utilities that would implement many of the same principles.
Jereza said the Department of Energy supports that approach while recognizing that regulation remains primarily a state responsibility.
Utilities back the approach
Oklahoma utilities have also embraced the White House initiative. OG&E, PSO and the Grand River Dam Authority have signed the White House Ratepayer Protection Pledge, joining Gov. Kevin Stitt and other Republican governors in supporting its principles.
Ken Miller, OG&E senior vice president of public and regulatory affairs, said Oklahoma’s new law and the utility’s proposed large-load tariff before the Oklahoma Corporation Commission reflect the same principles as the White House initiative.
“We believe it even goes further than that,” Miller said. “What you see with the pledge, what you see with the legislation, what you see with the large-load tariff, is a strong attempt to do it correctly so that these large loads actually benefit customers, not subtract from them.”
Miller said the pledge, Oklahoma law and the utility’s proposed tariff all share the same objective: ensuring new large electric customers pay the costs associated with serving them rather than shifting those costs to existing customers.
As Oklahoma pursues additional data centers and other large electric loads, Jereza said the Department of Energy expects the White House pledge, state legislation, utility regulation and federal coordination to work together to protect existing ratepayers while supporting future economic growth.
