Anthropic Pledges to Cover Grid Upgrade Costs for AI Data Centers

Company says it will absorb electricity price increases to avoid passing costs to American households.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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Anthropic, an AI company, has announced that it will cover 100% of the grid upgrade costs needed to power its new data centers. The company says it will secure additional power and invest in grid optimization tools to avoid pushing up electricity prices for American households as it expands its AI infrastructure across the country.

Why it matters

This move by Anthropic comes as tech giants are pouring billions into building new data centers to support their AI ambitions. However, this rapid expansion of data center capacity has raised concerns about the impact on electricity prices, with utilities citing data centers as a key factor in their requests for rate increases. Anthropic's pledge to absorb these costs aims to address this issue and ensure that American households don't have to bear the burden of the company's infrastructure buildout.

The details

Anthropic says it will secure additional power and invest in "grid optimization tools" to reduce strain on the grid and keep electricity prices low. The company is planning to invest $50 billion in AI infrastructure in the U.S., starting with data centers in Texas and New York. This comes as other tech giants, such as Meta and Apple, have also announced massive investments in their own data center and AI infrastructure.

  • Anthropic announced its pledge to cover grid upgrade costs on February 12, 2026.
  • The company previously said it is investing $50 billion in AI infrastructure in the U.S.

The players

Anthropic

An AI company that is investing heavily in building new data centers across the U.S. to support its AI ambitions.

Donald Trump

The former U.S. president who has urged big tech companies to pay for the costs of their data centers and not pass them on to American households.

Microsoft

Another tech company that has introduced measures to pay utility rates high enough to cover the cost of its data centers' electricity use and reduce the impact on local residents.

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What they’re saying

“We will pay for 100% of the grid upgrades needed to interconnect our data centers. We will absorb costs that might otherwise be passed on to American households.”

— Anthropic (Anthropic blog post)

“I never want Americans to pay higher Electricity bills because of Data Centers. The big technology companies who build them must pay their own way.”

— Donald Trump, Former U.S. President (Truth Social)

What’s next

Anthropic will continue to invest in its AI infrastructure across the U.S., with plans to build data centers in Texas and New York. The company will also work on implementing its grid optimization tools and securing additional power to keep electricity prices low for American households.

The takeaway

Anthropic's pledge to cover the grid upgrade costs for its AI data centers sets a precedent for tech companies to take responsibility for the infrastructure costs associated with their expansion. This move aims to ensure that the growth of the AI industry does not come at the expense of higher electricity bills for American households.