MultiState has published an analysis comparing five distinct legislative approaches that states are pursuing to protect utility ratepayers from cost increases driven by data center electricity demand. The review covers mechanisms including cost allocation rules, demand-side charges on large industrial customers, and requirements for data centers to fund grid upgrades directly. The analysis arrives as at least a dozen states are actively debating or advancing such legislation in 2026. The range of approaches signals that no single model has emerged as standard, leaving the regulatory landscape fragmented heading into the second half of the year.