By Fox23.com News Staff
OKLAHOMA CITY — House Bill 2992, authored by State Representative Brad Boles (R-Marlow), has passed through the House Utilities Committee with a unanimous vote of 7-0.
HB 2992, known as the Data Center Consumer Repayer Protection Act of 2026, would force data centers, cryptocurrency mining companies, and artificial intelligence (AI) facilities to cover the costs associated with their operations
The proposed bill passed through the committee without opposition on Tuesday.
“I appreciate the strong support behind this bill, especially from members of the Utilities Committee who understand how important this issue is for Oklahoma families,” said Boles. “With more than a dozen potential data centers considering the state, we must make sure everyday Oklahomans are not left paying higher electric bills because of increased demand. This is about protecting ratepayers and ensuring large energy users pay for the infrastructure needed to support their operations instead of shifting those costs onto families and small businesses.”
Under HB 2992, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission and either related organizations will be required to keep rates fair. Electricity service providers will have to establish separate terms and conditions for customers that use larger amounts of energy.
“I will continue working with my colleagues as well as stakeholders to move this bill forward through the legislative process,” said Boles. “We have a duty to put proper ratepayer protections in place. Oklahoma families should not be expected to finance major system upgrades required for high-demand users. Those costs should rest with the companies driving the need.”
See below to read the full bill:
Boles said he will present the bill in the House Energy and Natural Resources Oversight Committee next. He is the chair of this committee.
House Bill 2992 is not the only proposed legislation aimed at holding large energy consuming businesses accountable. House Bill 3917 aims to make large data centers responsible for covering surcharges during peak demand periods with the money funding grid modernization through the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.
“This bill protects everyday rate payers by putting a surcharge on data centers so that cost isn’t put onto ratepayers,” said bill author State Rep. Mickey Dollens (D-Oklahoma City).
HB 3917 defines large data centers as ‘facilities using more than 50 megawatts of power,’ targeting tech giants like Google and Meta that have sought to build in the state due to cheaper electricity and hydropower access.
Another proposed bill — House Bill 3724 — by State Rep. Jim Shaw (R-Chandler) is more comprehensive. Shaw’s bill, which was heard for the first time on Tuesday in the Utilities Committee, would prohibit taxpayer-funded subsidies for data centers, require the facilities to pay 100% of their own infrastructure upgrades, impose strictly water-use limitations, and give counties and municipalities authority to block such projects entirely
Shaw cites the proposed data center in Stillwater as an example. Its projected water usage of 2.1 million gallons per day would account for about 34% of what the entire city currently consumes.
“If these companies move in and they need significant infrastructure upgrades because the amount of energy they consume is astronomical, they need to pay 100% of those infrastructure costs,” Shaw said. “Individuals and small business owners in Oklahoma should not be burdened with that, whatsoever.”
All three bills are in various stages of the legislative process and all are under consideration.
