Extracting Profits from the Public: How Utility Ratepayers Are Paying for Big Tech’s Power
Monday, Nov 17, 2025, 12:00 pm - 1:15 pm
Online and Rubenstein Building, David T. Ellwood Democracy Lab, Room 414AB, 79 JFK St., Cambridge
Technology companies are looking to secure electricity for their new power-hungry data centers. To provide energy to these new facilities, electric utilities are expanding their systems with new power plants and transmission lines. Because utilities profit by building infrastructure, serving data centers is a lucrative opportunity that is incentivizing utilities to offer attractive rates to Big Tech companies.
In this Energy Policy Seminar, Ari Peskoe, Director of the Electricity Law Initiative at the Harvard Law School Environmental and Energy Law Program, will present a recent paper that explains how utilities are forcing ratepayers to fund discounted rates for data centers. Q&A to follow. Buffet-style lunch will be served.
RSVP required. A Harvard University ID is required for in-person attendance; all are welcome to attend via Zoom.
Register
In this Energy Policy Seminar, Ari Peskoe, Director of the Electricity Law Initiative at the Harvard Law School Environmental and Energy Law Program, will present a recent paper that explains how utilities are forcing ratepayers to fund discounted rates for data centers. Q&A to follow. Buffet-style lunch will be served.
RSVP required. A Harvard University ID is required for in-person attendance; all are welcome to attend via Zoom.
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