Reports conflict on Warren and Hawley data center energy letter

In short: A report says Senators Elizabeth Warren and Josh Hawley asked a federal energy data office to require yearly power-use reports from data centers, but public records do not confirm that letter.

What happened

Wired reported that Senators Elizabeth Warren and Josh Hawley sent a letter Thursday morning asking the Energy Information Administration, or EIA (a US government office that tracks energy statistics), to require annual disclosures of how much electricity data centers use.

As of March 26, 2026, searches and available records do not show evidence of a Warren and Hawley letter to the EIA with that specific request. The claim may be based on unverified reports, or it may be mixing up other recent letters about data center electricity use.

One confirmed action in this area is a March 6, 2026 letter led by Senator Edward Markey to the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, or NARUC (a group that represents state utility regulators). That letter urges regulators not to approve utility plans that raise home and small business electricity rates to serve growing data center demand. It cites estimates that new AI-driven data centers could require anywhere from 100 to 14,000 megawatts of power per year, and asks for more transparency in contracts.

Why it matters

Data centers are like giant warehouses full of computers, and they can draw as much power as a small town. If more of them connect to the grid, a key question is who pays for the new power lines and power plants. Lawmakers and regulators are paying closer attention because the answer can affect electricity bills and the reliability of local power.

Source: Wired