US President Trump publicly called for tech giants to “pay their own way” for the electricity costs of data centers, explicitly stating that American households should not bear the costs of corporate electricity consumption. He pointed out that Microsoft will begin implementing significant measures this week. As the AI boom drives data center electricity usage soaring, the US power grid is facing unprecedented pressure.
(Background: Bitcoin Mining and AI: Who is Consuming Electricity Resources Faster?)
(Additional context: The Other Side of the US AI Boom: Giving Chinese Bitcoin Miners “Part-Time Jobs”)

Table of Contents

• Astonishing Growth in Data Center Electricity Consumption
• Electricity Prices Up 40% in Five Years
• Has Bitcoin Mining Driven Up Electricity Prices?

President Trump issued a statement on January 13, vowing that large tech companies should “bear the costs” of data center electricity, making it clear that American families will not pay for corporate electricity use.

I absolutely do not want Americans to pay higher electricity bills because of data centers.

Trump attributed the rise in household electricity bills to Democratic policies and announced that he has secured commitments from tech giants. He specifically pointed out that Microsoft will start making major changes this week to ensure that the electricity consumption of corporate data centers is not passed on to ordinary consumers.

Astonishing Growth in Data Center Electricity Consumption

According to the latest data, electricity consumption by US data centers is increasing at an astonishing rate:

• 2025 Outlook: Data centers will consume 224 TWh, accounting for 5.2% of total US electricity use, a 21% increase from the same period last year
• 2030 Forecast: Consumption may soar to 600 TWh, representing 11.7%
• AI-Driven Growth: AI-specific data centers are growing at about 30% annually, far exceeding the 9% growth of traditional servers

In terms of energy consumption structure, cooling systems account for 30% to 40% of total facility energy use, while servers and IT equipment consume 40% to 60%.

Electricity Prices Up 40% in Five Years

According to Federal Reserve data, the average electricity price in the US has increased by about 40% per kilowatt-hour over the past five years. This data highlights why the Trump administration is eager to pressure the tech industry on data center electricity costs.

For tech giants, this means they may need to invest more in building their own power generation facilities or sign long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) with utility companies to avoid competing with ordinary consumers for grid resources.

Has Bitcoin Mining Driven Up Electricity Prices?

It is worth noting that a study cited by ESG expert Daniel Batten compared the increase in utility electricity prices from 2021 to 2024 across various countries with the concentration of Bitcoin mining in Texas. The study found no evidence that Bitcoin mining has caused consumer electricity prices to rise.

This finding contrasts sharply with the data on AI data centers. According to the International Energy Agency, by 2026, the combined energy consumption of AI and Bitcoin mining will surge to 1,050 TWh, but about 70% of the energy used for crypto mining comes from green sources, whereas AI data centers mainly rely on fossil fuels.