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As AI data centers expand, Oklahoma moves to protect residential ratepayers 33%
By Devyn Lyon35%
7/24/2026, 5:10:04 PM
BS Summary: This article contains 27 faulty reasoning types, including Circular Reasoning, Availability Heuristic, and Burden of Proof, with Self-Serving Bias as the most egregious example at 13.1% saturation with 81 hits. Analysis detected 780 faulty-reasoning hits from 620 analyzed words, generating a BS Score of 36.3% and a BS Rank of 33% (17,298 of 25,471 articles). This article is better (less manipulative) than 67.90% of the article peer group.
TULSA, Okla. — As Oklahoma continues recruiting large-scale data centers to support the growing demand for artificial intelligence, state leaders, utility companies and technology firms are promising one thing: existing customers shouldn’t have to pay the price.
This week utilities including Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) and OG&E joined the Ratepayer Protection Pledge, a White House-backed initiative aimed at ensuring the costs of serving large energy users — such as AI data centers — are paid by the companies creating the demand rather than existing residential customers.
The pledge comes as projects like Project Anthem, Meta’s multi-billion dollar data center under construction between Tulsa and Coweta, continue to reshape Oklahoma's economic landscape.
While supporters point to jobs and investment, some Oklahomans remain concerned about what the rapid growth of data centers could mean for electric bills, grid reliability, and local infrastructure.
Artificial intelligence relies on massive data centers filled with thousands of servers operating around the clock.
Those facilities consume significant amounts of electricity and often require additional cooling during Oklahoma’s hottest months.
Former U.S.
Department of Energy official Kerry Duggan said that growing demand can place additional stress on an already busy electric grid if communities don’t plan ahead.
“People don’t understand how much individual leverage they have.
I don’t think some of the elected officials know they have and that the community voice has,” said Duggan.
She said local governments have an opportunity to negotiate with developers before projects are approved.
“Don’t invite a data center developer unless they bring their own power,” Duggan said, adding she also encourages battery storage and water-saving cooling systems to reduce impacts on local infrastructure.
Duggan compared an overloaded power grid to rush-hour traffic.
“If the grid is already congested, bringing additional power generation online is like moving a semi-truck from bumper-to-bumper traffic at 5 p.m. to an open highway at 3 a.m.,” said Duggan.
Oklahoma lawmakers anticipated many of these concerns earlier this year by passing the Data Center Consumer Ratepayer Protection Act (House Bill 2992).
The law is designed to prevent the costs associated with serving large-load consumers, including qualifying data centers, from being shifted onto existing ratepayers.
One provision states “large load customers shall be allocated their equitable share of the costs associated with providing electric service”
To view the full House Bill, click here .
Pso said those same principles are reflected in its proposed large-load tariff currently before the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.
In a previous interview with FOX23, PSO Regulatory Director Amy Brown said large industrial customers can actually benefit residential customers if they pay their share of system costs.
“As large-load customers come onto the system, they’re going to be taking a larger slice of that pie,” said Brown.
“Which means the slice paid for by the residential customers will be getting smaller.”
OG&E has also joined the Ratepayer Protection Pledge, saying it supports protecting existing customers while maintaining that high-energy demand customers can lower costs for others when connected to the grid under the proper regulatory framework.
Despite those assurances, many people have remained skeptical.
FOX23 recently asked viewers on social media how they feel about data centers coming to Oklahoma.
Roughly three quarters of respondents said they remain concerned about their potential impacts, including electric rates, grid reliability, and other infrastructure demands.
Duggan encouraged communities to stay involved as projects move forward.
She said residents should ask questions, engage with local leaders, and hold elected officials accountable during the approval process to ensure developers make commitments that protect the communities they enter.
FOX23 wants to hear your thoughts.
You can share your perspective by messaging us on social media or emailing news@fox23.com.
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