President Donald Trump is expanding his data center pledge to include multiple Republican governors and large utilities, requiring developers to cover their own energy use and infrastructure costs. The expansion signals a broader push to make data center operators—including crypto miners—internalize the costs of their power consumption.
What the pledge requires
Trump's existing pledge already demanded that data center developers pay for the energy they use and the grid upgrades they trigger. Now, several GOP governors and major utilities are expected to sign on, according to the announcement. The exact number of participants wasn't disclosed, but the move turns a White House initiative into a state-level effort. Developers building new data centers—whether for AI, cloud computing, or crypto mining—will have to cover those costs upfront, rather than passing them to ratepayers.
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US-based bitcoin miners, who account for roughly 35% of global hashrate, are directly in the crosshairs. Many operate on thin margins, especially with bitcoin trading around $64,500 and energy prices high. Forcing them to pay for infrastructure upgrades could squeeze profitability further. But there's a second-order effect: the pledge may weed out inefficient miners who rely on subsidized power. Well-capitalized firms like Riot and Marathon, which already locked in long-term power deals with nuclear or hydro plants, could gain an edge. Smaller operators without such contracts may be forced to shut down or relocate. That consolidation could make the US mining industry more professional—and more centralized.
A political cover for utilities?
The pledge also gives utilities a political shield. By requiring data centers to pay infrastructure costs, utilities can argue they're protecting residential and commercial customers from rate hikes. In practice, the added revenue may fund grid upgrades that benefit the utility's bottom line, not necessarily ratepayers. Crypto media will likely frame this as a 'miner tax,' but the real winners could be incumbent power companies. That angle is easy to miss when the focus is on developer costs.
The pledge is still vague—it's an 'expected' expansion, not a signed law. But if state legislatures follow through with concrete rules, US miners could face a 10-20% cost increase. Some may move to friendlier jurisdictions abroad, temporarily dropping the hashrate and triggering a negative difficulty adjustment. That could actually stabilize bitcoin's price floor by reducing sell pressure from distressed miners. For now, the market is watching. No deadlines have been set, but the involvement of multiple governors suggests action could come within months.
