PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A bill passed the Oregon legislature on Thursday, aiming to shield Oregonians from taking on increased utility rates from Big Tech facilities in the state.

House Bill 3546, known as the Protecting Oregonians With Energy Responsibility (POWER) Act, would hold companies behind facilities such as data centers or cryptocurrency operations, responsible for their own utility bills,

If signed into law, the bill would create a separate pricing system for energy users who demand more than 20 megawatts, or roughly the same usage as a small city, according to the Democratic Majority Office.

“Data centers play an important role in our growing technology needs in the United States, and they need to pay their fair share for infrastructure required to meet their energy needs, r

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