Trump Orders Big Tech to Build Their Own Power Plants

US President Donald Trump urged technology giants to construct their own power plants to support AI data centers. The intention behind this call is to shield consumers from rising household electricity bills.

During his State of the Union address, Trump unveiled what he called a new ratepayer protection pledge, aimed at easing the strain AI infrastructure is placing on the ageing US grid. “We’re telling the major tech companies that they have the obligation to provide for their own power needs, so that no one’s prices will go up,” he declared.

Citing power constraints, Trump added, “We have an old grid. It could never handle the kind of numbers, the amount of electricity that’s needed. Companies can build their own plant and produce their own electricity, while lowering the prices of electricity for you”. Details on enforcement remain unclear as Trump did not name the companies involved. Sources stated that the White House is expected to host big tech companies in early March to formalise the plan.

The proposal lands as grid operators warn of tightening supply. Earlier this month, national grid operator PJM Interconnection cautioned that surging demand from AI data centres could drive an electricity supply shortfall of up to 60GW in the country over the coming decade.

In the last month, major technology players, including Microsoft and Anthropic, announced voluntary measures to limit the impact of data centres on consumer energy prices. Microsoft pledged to cover higher utility rates tied to its US data centers, collaborate with utilities to add required power, and advocate for policies supporting affordable and reliable energy.