Portland General Electric has implemented a nearly 30 percent rate increase for industrial power customers including AI data centers and cryptocurrency miners, while simultaneously reducing electricity costs for residential customers by about 1.3 percent.
Tom’s Hardware reports that Portland General Electric, Oregon’s largest electricity supplier, will increase rates for large power consumers by 29.7 percent following unanimous approval from the state’s Public Utility Commission. The rate hike primarily targets large industries, AI data centers, and cryptocurrency mining operations, while residential users will see their costs decline by 1.3 percent.
The increased rates apply to a new higher rate class created under Oregon’s POWER Act, which was passed in April 2025. This classification affects developments consuming more than 20 megawatts of power, equivalent to the consumption of a large paper mill and significantly less than the target capacity of many AI data centers.
Public Utility Commission Chair Letha Tawney explained the rationale behind the decision in an official statement. “These changes ensure that costs created by data centers in PGE’s territory are more accurately reflected in their rates,” Tawney said. “By putting this structure in place now, we are getting ahead of a bigger issue, enabling responsible data centers to pay their own way, and protecting customers from higher costs in the future.”
This widespread opposition to AI data centers stems in part ofrom the massive power consumption these facilities require, which has led to unprecedented electricity price increases in regions where they operate. The surge in utility costs is not solely attributable to the enormous amount of electricity data centers consume, but also to the substantial investments utility companies must make to upgrade their infrastructure to accommodate this increased demand.
Breitbart News previously reported that Donald Trump has ordered tech giants to “pay their own way” by shouldering the costs of their massive power requirements:
President Donald Trump revealed through a social media post on Monday that Microsoft has committed to making substantial changes to protect American consumers from rising electricity costs associated with the company’s expanding data center infrastructure. The announcement comes as technology companies accelerate their artificial intelligence initiatives, which require massive amounts of electrical power.
In his post on Truth Social, Trump emphasized his administration’s dedication to protecting consumers from bearing the financial burden of corporate technology expansion. The president stated that his administration is actively collaborating with major American technology companies to secure commitments that safeguard the interests of American citizens, with additional announcements expected in the coming weeks. According to Trump, the companies sucking every drop of electricity possible from America’s grid must “pay their own way.”
Trump specifically highlighted Microsoft as the first company to take action, noting that his team has been working closely with the software giant. According to the president, Microsoft will begin implementing major changes this week designed to ensure Americans do not shoulder the costs of the company’s power consumption through increased utility bills.
Oregon’s POWER Act, officially designated as HB 3546, establishes protections against data centers and other massive electricity users from driving up rates for consumers. It remains uncertain whether other states will adopt similar legislation to reduce the financial burden on general consumers. While the measure may appear counterproductive for data centers, as they will ultimately pay more for electricity over time, some industry experts believe it could help mitigate public opposition to their development. By ensuring general consumers are protected from unjustified price increases, communities may become more receptive to having data center facilities constructed in their vicinity.
Breitbart News previously reported that AI data center opponents have blocked or delayed projects worth $130 billion so far this year:
At least 75 projects worth about $130 billion have been blocked or delayed from January through March across the country as a result of data center opponents, according to a Data Center Watch study obtained by NBC News.
The authors of the study further noted that this hindering of AI data centers is the most on record in a three-month period since they began tracking the matter in 2023.
“The quarter reflected a structural shift rather than a cyclical spike: communities have internalized an opposition playbook, legislative sessions introduced formal regulatory uncertainty, and the number of active opposition groups more than doubled to 833 across 49 states,” the study read.
The placement of AI data centers and their massive power and water requirements have emerged as one of the major battlefields of artificial intelligence. Breitbart News social media director Wynton Hall has written his instant bestseller Code Red: The Left, the Right, China, and the Race to Control AI to serve as the definitive guide on how the MAGA movement can create positions on AI that benefit humanity without handing control of our nation to the leftists of Silicon Valley or allowing the Chinese to take over the world.
Read more at Tom’s Hardware here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of AI, free speech, and online censorship.