How the AI-driven data center boom is leading to skyrocketing energy bills for many Americans
A CBS News analysis found that Georgia Power imposed six rate hikes in the last three years, coinciding with a boom in data centers, leading to skyrocketing energy bills for many Americans. Americans living near data centers are paying up to 267% more for energy than five years ago.
Carolyn Kayne's 3,000-square-foot home in Atlanta, Georgia, has become unlivable due to skyrocketing electric bills, which have almost doubled in two years. Georgia Power, the largest energy provider in the state, imposed six rate hikes in the last three years, coinciding with a boom in data centers. The growing use of artificial intelligence has sparked a demand for data centers, driving up utility bills in at least 13 states. A 2025 Bloomberg analysis determined that Americans living near data centers are paying up to 267% more for energy than five years ago. Georgia Power denies passing the cost of data centers on to residential customers, but advocates warn that data centers will add billions of dollars to electricity rates if not managed properly. Maine Gov. Janet Mills recently vetoed a bill that would have banned new data center construction in the state.
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