Artificial Intelligence [AI] data centers have been the hosts of chaos for about as long as they have existed.
Without highlighting the obvious setbacks to the environment that come with AI usage, there is a burden shoved onto nearby communities by the companies running and using these data centers for their own nefarious purposes so that these communities – some of which are already struggling – must shoulder the cost of something from which they will never reap the rewards.
More than 20 data centers currently are eyeing various Oklahoma communities to settle into. As of now, Pryor houses Google’s second largest data center campus, with plans to expand.
Google has promised upwards of $9 billion of investing within the next two years for AI data center production. The profit for the community has been promised, and while Google claims that $2.2 billion of revenue has been generated, there has only been $7 million in donations to organizations in Oklahoma.
While that seems like a large amount of money, Google promised to invest billions of dollars in Oklahoma with one of its largest data center campuses, so that $7 million dollars seems bleak.
Google also has plans for another AI data center in Stillwater, along with a plethora of other companies. Rack59, Cerebras, Lumen, and many others have or plan on having data centers in different cities, mostly in the Tulsa and Oklahoma City areas.
One company that stuck out to me was SATOKIE. While they operate data centers for AI and bitcoin mining alike, the energy to power their data centers comes directly from oil pumps placed right next to them.
While it’s hard to say for certain, there is a possibility for this type of set-up – data centers adjacent to oil pumps – to become more commonplace.
There are a few bills to pay attention to in this year’s legislative session, and one specific bill from 2025 to look back on.
SB 998 from last year, which became law on May 14 without Gov. Kevin Stitt’s signature, and in the simplest terms it allows utility companies to bill ratepayers for the costs of new or expanded facilities necessary to meet data center demands.
This year, two proposals seek to exert control over the explosive growth of data
centers: HB 2992, the self-styled “Data Center Consumer Ratepayer Protection Act of 2026,” and SB 1488, which seeks to put a pause on data centers until Nov. 1, 2029.
HB 2992 seeks to protect ratepayers from higher utility costs resulting from the data centers. SB 1488 would require the Oklahoma Corporation Commission to do more research into these facilities during a moratorium, giving Oklahoma the vital time we need to learn what we could be introducing to our state.
Both bills could be good for all Oklahomans, with HB 2992 protecting our wallets and SB 1488 protecting our interests. Interestingly, Marlow Republican Rep. Brad Boles – HB 2992’s author – voted for SB 998.
While we may get some protections from this year’s legislative session, we’ve already hit a wall on the ratepaying front, at least until HB 2992 sees any progress.
If these bills become law there could be hope against the AI onslaught in Oklahoma, but for now all we can do is wait.
Editor’s Note: On Thursday, Boles’ HB 2992 sailed through the House Utilities Committee without opposition, as did Tulsa Democratic Rep. Amanda Clinton’s HB 3392, which would direct the Corporation Commission to study the impact of large industrial projects on ratepayers and the state’s electric grid.
