Press Release: New White House Ratepayer Protection Pledge Mirrors Missouri’s Landmark SB 4

JEFFERSON CITY, MO — Missouri leaders are pointing to a new White House-backed Ratepayer Protection Pledge as further validation that Missouri was ahead of the curve in protecting families and small businesses from subsidizing the enormous electricity demands of new data centers.

The voluntary national pledge, announced by the White House and recently expanded, brings together more than 200 governors, utilities, electric cooperatives, hyperscale technology companies, and data center developers around a simple principle: those creating massive new electricity demand should pay for the infrastructure they require—not residential and small-business ratepayers.

That principle closely mirrors Missouri’s Senate Bill 4, which was enacted in 2025. SB 4 requires utilities serving large electric loads to establish special tariffs ensuring that high-demand customers bear the costs associated with serving their projects, helping protect existing customers from cost shifting. The federal pledge specifically recognizes Missouri’s law as an example of this approach, noting that the pledge complements—not replaces—Missouri’s existing framework.

“Missouri didn’t wait for Washington,” supporters said. “Our state recognized early that artificial intelligence and data centers would require unprecedented investments in generation and transmission. SB 4 established a framework that welcomes economic development while ensuring Missouri families aren’t asked to foot the bill.”

The White House initiative now includes 217 organizations and officials, covering approximately 75 percent of Americans and 80 percent of U.S. retail electric delivery. Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe is among the governors who have signed the pledge, alongside Missouri-based companies including Ameren and Evergy. Data center developer Crusoe, which is constructing campuses in Warrenton and Callaway County, has also signed the pledge.

Under the pledge, participating companies commit to:

As states across the country grapple with surging electricity demand driven by artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing, Missouri’s policy is increasingly being viewed as a model for balancing economic growth with consumer protection.

“Missouri has shown that you don’t have to choose between attracting transformational investment and protecting ratepayers,” supporters said. “SB 4 accomplished both, and it’s encouraging to see the same principles now being embraced on a national scale.”