April 29, 2026 - WASHINGTON, D.C. — As energy-intensive data centers continue to expand across the country to support artificial and cloud computing, AARP is tracking how rising electricity demand affects the cost of utilities —and advocating in states to ensure affordability, reliability, and transparency are top of mind.
For millions of older adults, utility bills are not discretionary expenses; they are essential to health, safety, and the ability to remain in their homes as they age. As new, large-scale data centers drive electricity demand, AARP is advocating to ensure consumer protections are built in early, so households are not forced to pay the costs associated with building and operating these data centers through higher utility bills required to serve these facilities.
“Across the country, states are facing the same fundamental question: how to support rapid growth in energy demand without risking affordability for everyday consumers,” said Jenn Jones, Vice President of Financial Security and Livable Communities at AARP. “States like Oklahoma and Florida are on the cusp of potentially passing legislation to help keep utility rate costs in check.”
In 2026 alone, approximately 40 states have considered legislative or regulatory action related to the impact of large data centers on utility costs, grid reliability, or water use. AARP state offices are actively engaged in about 23 states, advocating for consumer-first principles such as fair cost allocation, transparency in utility planning, and safeguards that prevent long-term cost-shifting to residential customers.
Some states have enacted new laws or regulatory frameworks aligned with these principles, while others are advancing proposals, pursuing or rate-case approaches, or continuing to debate next steps. Across states, there is a growing recognition that without clear guardrails, the infrastructure costs required to serve large, new electricity users can become embedded in utility rates for decades.
The stakes are high for households already struggling with rising costs. In a recent AARP survey of older Oklahomans, more than half said they kept their homes at uncomfortable temperatures over the past year because of high utility bills, and nearly four in ten said even a modest increase in their electricity bill would be a major financial problem.
These findings echo national AARP research, which shows that 78% of adults age 50+ believe large data centers should pay their own way, and 75% agree that state policymakers should act to protect consumers from rising utility costs tied to these facilities.
In states such as Florida and Oklahoma, policymakers are pursuing consumer‑first approaches designed to ensure that large data centers cover the full cost of their heavy utility use, rather than shifting those costs onto residential customers. Together, these efforts reflect different stages of the same challenge — responding to impacts already being felt by households in some states, while acting early in others to prevent future cost‑shifting before large‑scale facilities arrive.
Along with Florida and Oklahoma, AARP is working with other states to put consumer protections in place now — before rising energy demand locks new infrastructure costs into utility rates. Through state legislation, regulatory engagement, and public accountability efforts, AARP is advocating for clear cost‑responsibility rules, transparency in utility spending, and safeguards that protect households from subsidizing large, energy‑intensive development.
The goal is straightforward: as data centers grow, people — especially older adults on fixed incomes — must be protected so they can continue to afford safe, reliable utilities and remain in their homes as they age.
About AARP
AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the 125 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health and financial security, and personal fulfillment. AARP also works for individuals in the marketplace by sparking new solutions and allowing carefully chosen, high-quality products and services to carry the AARP name. As a trusted source for news and information, AARP produces the nation's largest-circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and the AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit aarp.org, aarp.org/espanol or follow @AARP, @AARPLatino and @AARPadvocates on social media.Source: AARP
