Microsoft pledged to protect ratepayers, then challenged data centre grid costs

Microsoft challenges data centre costs after pledging to protect ratepayers

Microsoft told Pennsylvania residents it would shield them from grid upgrade costs for data centres, then pushed state regulators to spread those costs across all ratepayers. Local residents and lawmakers from both parties pushed back, arguing tech giants should pay for their own power infrastructure. The article doesn't give a dollar figure for Microsoft's ask, but notes over 20 data centre projects are queued for grid connection in the state.