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HD 3378

An Act establishing a special legislative commission to study load growth due to AI and data centers

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Kim Ferguson and 3 co-sponsors

Creates a time-bound commission to study how AI and data-center load growth affects electricity demand and energy infrastructure in MA, with a final report in 1 year.

Senate concurred
0
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Bill Summary · HD 3378

Summary: HD 3378 — An Act establishing a special legislative commission to study load growth due to AI and data centers

Overview

HD 3378 proposes the creation of a special legislative commission to study how load growth, driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and data centers, affects electricity demand and related infrastructure. The study would also consider implications for industrial growth, transportation electrification, and building electrification.

Purpose and scope

  • Primary goal: Assess surges in electricity demand from data centers supporting high-performance computing and AI, and evaluate broader impacts on energy systems and infrastructure.
  • Scope includes, but is not limited to, load growth associated with AI/data centers, industrial growth, and electrification efforts in transportation and buildings.

Key provisions

  • Establishment: A special legislative commission to study load growth due to AI and data centers.
  • Reporting: The commission must submit its report and recommendations to the clerks of the House and Senate no later than one year after the act’s passage.

Commission composition

The commission shall include:
- Co-chairs: The chairs of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy.
- Members:
- One member appointed by the speaker of the House
- One member appointed by the president of the Senate
- One member appointed by the House minority leader
- One member appointed by the Senate minority leader
- The Commissioner of Public Utilities or their designee
- The Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs
- The Secretary of Administration and Finance

Timeline and procedural details

  • Status: Senate concurred; the bill was referred to the Committee on Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity on February 27, 2025.
  • Deadline: Report due within one year of passage.
  • Classification: Proposed bill (House Docket No. 3378, House No. 83), introduced February 27, 2025, with related petition activity in January–March 2025.

Potential impact and stakeholders

  • Affected entities: Massachusetts electric utilities, energy regulators, state agencies (DOER, DPU, DOF), data-center operators and AI facilities, and industries dependent on reliable electricity infrastructure.
  • Policy implications: The resulting report could inform energy planning, demand forecasting, infrastructure investment, and electrification strategies related to data-center growth and AI deployments.

Bottom line

HD 3378 would create a time-bound, cross-branch commission to analyze and report on how AI- and data-center-driven load growth interacts with energy supply, infrastructure, and electrification efforts in Massachusetts, with a final report due within one year of enactment.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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