Trump Orders AI Firms Share Power
The President announced a new policy requiring artificial intelligence data centers to return excess electricity to local areas to help manage costs.
By Jian Chen ·
President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that a new mandate will require artificial intelligence data centers to provide energy dividends to local communities. The directive calls for these facilities to give or sell excess electricity back to the grid. The goal is to prevent utility prices from rising or to bring them down for residents living near these sites.
The announcement was made in a post on Truth Social. Trump stated that data centers must generate their own power. He also stated that any surplus energy created must be shared with the surrounding area. This measure is intended to address concerns about energy-related price increases.
Across the United States, local communities have pushed back against the construction of new data centers. These facilities are large. They often bring noise pollution, water shortages, and air pollution. Rising electricity costs are a common complaint from residents who live near them.
The administration is looking for ways to reduce the impact these facilities have on residents. Trump has previously ordered these companies to produce their own electricity. The current plan builds on that requirement by asking companies to share the results with the public.
The policy aims to support the growth of the technology sector. The administration is focused on maintaining a lead in the global AI race. It is also seeking to address the concerns of local communities. Details on how these dividends will work in practice are not yet clear.
Given the focus on power, the dividend could take the form of paying for rising electricity costs. A recently passed act also requires data centers to cover the cost of grid upgrades. This prevents those costs from falling on local taxpayers. Excess electricity from these facilities could be used to lower costs for residents.
In his post, Trump said that data centers can become popular if a financial deal is reached. He stated, "Data Centers that were highly unpopular in a certain area have become extremely popular when a financial deal is struck." He concluded the post with the message, "MAKE DEALS, and get them built!!!"
It is not known if financial incentives will be enough to win over communities. The economic impact is only one part of the problem. Issues such as water consumption, pollution, and damage to the environment remain major challenges. These problems make data centers difficult to accept in many areas.
Source: Tom's Hardware
