The 350 Action pledge calls on candidates to tackle soaring energy bills, rein in data centers, expand affordable renewable energy and make oil, gas and AI companies pay their fair share.

A cross-section of 51 candidates from across the political spectrum have signed 350 Action’s Energy Affordability Candidate Pledge ahead of the US midterm elections, demonstrating how access to affordable energy has become a defining issue for voters and candidates alike.

With households and small businesses facing mounting pressure from energy costs, the pledge commits candidates to action that puts people’s needs first, protects communities from the impacts of unchecked data center expansion and accelerates the shift towards cheaper, cleaner sources of electricity.

The pledge sets out five commitments candidates will work towards if elected: 

• supporting a pause on data centers that threaten land, water and the climate or drive up electricity bills; 
• protecting households from disconnection during extreme heat and cold; 
• phasing out expensive and polluting fossil fuels in favor of wind and solar; 
• expanding access to rooftop, balcony and community solar; and 
• supporting a windfall tax on excess profits from oil, gas and AI companies to help families struggling with energy costs.

The participation of candidates from different political parties highlights the growing importance of energy affordability across the political spectrum. As voters prepare to head to the polls, the pledge offers candidates a practical opportunity to demonstrate how they will address the cost-of-living crisis while delivering a healthier, more affordable and more secure energy system.

Candice Fortin, Campaigns Manager at 350 Action, said:

“People shouldn’t have to choose between keeping the lights on and putting food on the table, while fossil fuel companies rake in enormous profits and energy-hungry data centers threaten to push bills even higher. Energy affordability is not a niche issue, it is about people’s everyday lives, their health and their financial security.

Candidates from across the political spectrum are recognizing that voters want solutions, not excuses. By signing this pledge, they are committing to put people ahead of polluters, protect households from unaffordable energy bills and expand access to the cheapest, cleanest power available. Ahead of the midterms, this is a clear opportunity for candidates to show whose side they are on.”

The pledge also calls for stronger democratic oversight of data center expansion, including requirements for facilities to run on new and additional renewable electricity around the clock, with power shared with surrounding communities at no cost. It aims to ensure that the growth of energy-intensive industries does not leave households paying more or communities bearing the environmental costs.

ENDS

Notes to editors

• 350 Action is an independent 501(c)(4) social welfare organization which is affiliated with  the global climate movement 350.org.
• The Energy Affordability Candidate Pledge sets out five commitments focused on protecting households, expanding access to renewable energy and ensuring that major energy users and profitable corporations contribute to a fairer energy system.
• The pledge is available to candidates seeking office ahead of the US midterm elections.