Oregon raises electricity rates by 29.7% for data centers and cuts residential electricity rates by 1.3%.

[violettejean@mstdn.social]

@Natasha_Jay

Just a thought:
Everyone affected, DO NOT PAY YOUR ELECTRIC BILL, SEND IT TO THE DATA CENTER.

[ithoughtisawa2@infosec.exchange]

@Natasha_Jay this is the kind of thing that has "unintended consequences" written all over it. Neither big tech or the utilities are going to give up that easily

[nerde@beige.party]

@Natasha_Jay
The utility commission in California is so corrupt (they actually removed a commissioner that was a whistle blower) they raised rates several times, the reason for one increase that was approved - PG&E’s profits weren’t high enough to attract investors. WTF? (Note: the Governor is responsible for appointing the commissioners)

[peter@social.linss.com]

@Natasha_Jay this is a good start.

New data center construction should also be required to pay an initial fee sufficient to build clean generation and transmission infrastructure equal to 2x their anticipated energy consumption. The new generation must come online before the data center gets one watt. Also, no on site power generation that consumes fuel or emits pollution (solar, wind, ok).

Then we start discussions about water use, noise, disposal of old hardware, property taxes, etc…

[markwyner@mas.to]

@Natasha_Jay we spend so much on electricity here in Oregon (probably like everywhere else). This was so delightful to hear on NPR. We need this break.

[w_b@mastodon.world]

@Natasha_Jay

Price them out of existence

[revectane@social.tchncs.de]

@Natasha_Jay

would've done better to demolish them.

[wollman@mastodon.social]

@Natasha_Jay Watch FERC issue a rule preempting the Oregon law. They're already forcing regional transmission organizations to revamp the rules for grid connections to make it easier for big data centers to attach (and aluminum smelters, I guess, but that's not a growing sector).

[pineywoozle@masto.ai]

@Natasha_Jay Well done Oregon!!!

[503bartley@pdx.social]

@Natasha_Jay FALSE Oregon's Public Utility Commission allowed ONE shareholder-owned utility, PGE, to alter its rates. Other utilities, public & private, in the state (e.g. Berkshire Hathaway's Pacific Power) have NOT altered their rates yet to comply with Oregon's POWER Act which requires data centers & large commercial users to pay their share.