Rep. Subramanyam’s Legislation to Create Data Center Energy Measurement Standards Heads to House Floor

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Representative Suhas Subramanyam's (VA-10) bill, the Data Infrastructure Energy Measurement and Standards Act (H.R. 9372), passed the Science, Space and Technology Committee with a 34-1 vote. It now heads to the House floor for consideration. The legislation would create standardized energy measurements for data centers. Rep. Subramanyam recently spoke about this bill on the House floor.

"As more data centers are built across the country, we still lack a standard way to measure and discuss their energy and water use. Communities can't make fully-informed decisions on where to put data centers and how to regulate them. This bill creates an accurate method for how much power and water these facilities use so we can understand their impact on our communities and protect them accordingly, " Rep. Subramanyam said.

Rep. Subramanyam's district is home to more than 300 data centers, with around 200 more planned to come online in the next few years. By 2028, data center energy consumption across the country could double or triple to account for 12% of all energy usage. Data centers also use an estimated 160 billion gallons of water per year. Yet right now, policy makers and communities lack standardized information about much energy and water data centers actually consume, and when and how they use electricity.

The Data Infrastructure Energy Measurement and Standards Act directs the National Institutes of Standards and Technology (NIST), in coordination with the Department of Energy, to develop best practices and technical standards for measuring data center energy and water use. This will create a technical foundation for better electricity forecasting, improved resource management, and better infrastructure planning and data center siting.

U.S. Representatives Jay Obernolte (R-CA), and Valerie Foushee (D-NC) are also original sponsors of this legislation.

###