Anthropic to Cover Costs of Electricity Price Hikes from Data Centers

Leading AI companies take steps to mitigate impact of growing energy demands on consumers

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

As artificial intelligence rapidly expands, so does its energy footprint. Leading AI companies, including Anthropic, OpenAI and Microsoft, are now taking steps to mitigate the impact of their growing data center energy demands on everyday consumers. This comes amid increasing political pressure and concerns about rising electricity prices in regions with heavy data center activity.

Why it matters

Data centers, the powerhouses behind AI, require vast amounts of energy to operate. This demand can strain local power grids, leading to increased electricity rates for residents and businesses. Experts estimate this surge could increase electricity generation prices by approximately 25% in certain markets by 2030, raising concerns about the equitable distribution of the benefits of AI.

The details

Anthropic, the AI company behind Claude, announced it will directly cover consumer electricity price increases in areas where it cannot sufficiently generate new power. The company will also pay 100% of the infrastructure upgrade costs required to connect its data centers to the electrical grid. This commitment positions Anthropic alongside OpenAI and Microsoft, who have also pledged to reduce the cost impacts of their data centers.

  • Anthropic's announcement came on Wednesday, February 11, 2026.

The players

Anthropic

An AI company that developed the language model Claude.

OpenAI

An AI research company that has also pledged to mitigate the cost impacts of its data centers.

Microsoft

A technology company that has also pledged to reduce the cost impacts of its data centers.

Dario Amodei

The CEO of Anthropic.

Chris Van Hollen

A U.S. Senator who has introduced a federal bill aiming to require AI corporations to cover data center expansion electricity costs.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Building AI responsibly can't stop at the technology — it has to extend to the infrastructure behind it.”

— Dario Amodei, CEO, Anthropic (newsy-today.com)

What’s next

The White House is reportedly drafting a voluntary agreement with major AI companies to offset spikes in household electricity prices, and the proposed bill in New York that would pause permits for new data centers is still under consideration.

The takeaway

The actions taken by Anthropic, OpenAI, and Microsoft signal a growing awareness within the AI industry of its responsibility to address the energy challenges it creates. As AI continues to evolve, finding sustainable and equitable solutions to power its infrastructure will be crucial to ensure the benefits of AI are not outweighed by the costs to consumers.