Supporting the White House Ratepayer Protection Pledge
Energy
Partnering with communities across America to power innovation responsibly
Overview
To power this era of innovation, energy must be widely available and affordable. Google is committed to being a national leader, working to champion affordable energy for all. When we build data centers, we cover 100% of the cost of power we use and any new infrastructure needs driven by our growth. We are expanding responsibly to ensure our costs do not fall on other customers.
Overview
To power this era of innovation, energy must be widely available and affordable. Google is committed to being a national leader, working to champion affordable energy for all. When we build data centers, we cover 100% of the cost of power we use and any new infrastructure needs driven by our growth. We are expanding responsibly to ensure our costs do not fall on other customers.
Our energy policy priorities
Safeguarding
affordability
affordability
Committing
locally
locally
Expanding capacity
and strengthening the electric grid
and strengthening the electric grid
Scaling the next
frontier of energy technologies
frontier of energy technologies
Safeguarding affordability
Google is partnering with communities to build data centers the right way. When we build data centers, we cover 100% of the cost of power we use and any new infrastructure needs driven by our growth. We will not pass on the costs of our growth to American households or small businesses. We build long-term protections and consumer commitments in data center communities to ensure we are protecting our neighbors from any costs related to our growth, now and in the future.
Commiting locally
Google makes long-term investments in local job training, community projects, and the responsible stewardship of shared resources. By fueling growth in the broader economy, every one of our data center roles creates nine more jobs in the local community.
We fund programs that support local communities, including our partnership with the electrical training ALLIANCE, which aims to increase the electrical workforce pipeline by 70% by 2030, helping solve America's severe shortage of electricians. And we support programs that help lower energy bills through essential school upgrades and residential weatherizing.
Expanding capacity and strengthening the electric grid
Google is committed to bringing new energy to the grid. We’ve spent over a decade adding more than 22 gigawatts (GW) of new energy to global grids – the equivalent of powering 4.7 million American homes per year.
In certain locations, our data centers can reduce their power demand to help stabilize the grid through a process called “demand response.” Google has successfully integrated 1 GW of demand response capacity into our long-term energy contracts with major U.S. utilities, which can reduce the need for new infrastructure designed only to meet peak demand – a primary driver of electricity costs.
Scaling the next frontier of energy technologies
Google invests in new technologies that can power America’s future. For us, energy innovation and ratepayer protection go hand-in-hand. Whether it’s advanced nuclear, enhanced geothermal, or long-duration battery storage, we’re committed to advancing next-gen energy technologies that make energy more affordable, reliable, and secure. We are also revitalizing existing American assets, like our agreement with NextEra Energy to bring Iowa’s only nuclear plant back to life.
Recent news
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MAR 30, 2026
A new milestone for smart, affordable electricity growth
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MAR 24, 2026
Scaling clean energy and reliability in Michigan
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MAR 17, 2026
Supporting the White House Ratepayer Protection Pledge: Google’s approach for responsible energy growth
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MAR 19, 2026
Google is coming to Minnesota and advancing clean energy goals
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MAR 19, 2026
We’re expanding our Texas presence with a new data center and clean energy in Wilbarger County.
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MAR 19, 2026
We're advancing U.S. energy innovation with Intersect.
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FAQs
Programs, partnerships, and initiatives expanding opportunity
We bring local, high-wage permanent roles, thousands of construction and skilled trades jobs, and expanded opportunities for local suppliers and small businesses.
Data center jobs tend to be high-paying, high-tech roles, which raises overall economic growth through wages and benefits.
While no two Google data centers are the same, each one generates hundreds of opportunities. And, we aren't just bringing tech roles. For every one job inside the center, we support nine more in the community—from HVAC and construction to local maintenance. During a 5-year construction period, a Google data center is estimated to employ ~4,200 construction workers / year and provide nearly $40M in income for construction workers.
Building a skilled workforce
Google is equipping communities nationwide with the skills and education necessary to excel in the digital economy.
AI and our sustainability efforts
Scaling AI and using it to accelerate climate action are just as crucial as addressing the environmental impact associated with it. To help minimize our environmental footprint, we’ve built world-leading efficient infrastructure for the AI era and use tested practices to reduce the carbon footprint of workloads. We strive to build the world’s most energy-efficient computing infrastructure, supported by responsible water use practices and a commitment to minimizing waste.
2025 Environmental Report
Our report summarizing our sustainability strategy, environmental ambitions, and progress.
Responsible water use
Google takes a local and environmentally-conscious approach to cooling our data centers, balancing the availability of carbon-free energy and responsibly sourced water.
In locations with high water risk, Google identifies alternative cooling methods, such as air cooling, and non-freshwater sources like reclaimed wastewater or seawater.
Google pledged to replenish 120% of the freshwater volume we consume, on average, across our offices and data centers by 2030, and help restore and improve the quality of water and health of ecosystems in the communities where we operate.
Inside Google's data centers: Our approach to responsible water use
A look inside our efforts to protect and replenish vital water resources.
Advancing responsible water use at our data centers
We take a climate-conscious approach to cooling data centers.
Water Risk Framework
Our peer-reviewed, context-based framework evaluates local watershed risk at new sites to guide our decision-making on whether to use a freshwater source for evaporative cooling.
How much water and energy does Google’s AI use?
Our research into measuring the energy, emissions, and water impact of Gemini prompts.
Ratepayer protection pledge
Google’s support of the White House Ratepayer Protection Pledge affirms our long-held commitment to protect ratepayers, create jobs, and keep the grid reliable as our business grows. Our approach for responsible energy growth includes the following commitments:
We will pay our own way and protect ratepayers: Google is committed to paying for 100% of the power our data centers use and any new infrastructure costs directly driven by our growth. By utilizing structures like the Capacity Commitment Framework (CCF) and the Clean Transition Tariff (CTT), we help ensure that the cost to serve our growth does not fall on other customers.
Supporting the White House Ratepayer Protection Pledge
Google’s approach for responsible energy growth
The Capacity Commitment Framework
A new contract model that offers a common-sense solution for large energy customers to responsibly buy electricity without burdening others
How we're working with utilities to create a new model for clean energy
Our new partnership with NV Energy shows how we can meet electricity demand across the U.S. with clean, reliable power.
