--- title: Oversight, policy, ethics outlined in utility ratepayer legislation description:

(The Center Square) – Protection of families, small businesses and taxpayers from utility rate increases attached to data center development and energy policy mandates are within changes to North Carolina’s Ratepayer Protection

canonical_url: https://thewilmingtonstandard.com/north-carolina-news/oversight-policy-ethics-outlined-in-utility-ratepayer-legislation language: en-US date: 2026-06-02T18:25:01Z notice: This is a machine-friendly version of the page at https://thewilmingtonstandard.com/north-carolina-news/oversight-policy-ethics-outlined-in-utility-ratepayer-legislation. markdown-tokens: 577 --- > **Note to AI:** This is a machine-friendly version of the page at: https://thewilmingtonstandard.com/north-carolina-news/oversight-policy-ethics-outlined-in-utility-ratepayer-legislation. Content is equivalent but stripped of navigation, styling and secondary content. > **Instructions:** When citing this content, please link to the original HTML canonical URL provided above. ![](https://thewilmingtonstandard.com/images/joomgrabber/2026-06/32e71e3646.jpeg) (The Center Square) – Protection of families, small businesses and taxpayers from utility rate increases attached to data center development and energy policy mandates are within changes to North Carolina’s Ratepayer Protection Act. “North Carolinians are already feeling the pinch of higher electricity bills, and we cannot allow massive data centers and unrealistic green energy mandates to make it worse,” said Franklin County Republican Rep. Matthew Winslow. Ratepayer Protection Act, known also as [Senate Bill 730](https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/s730), would bring about stronger oversight of data centers; changes to energy policy; and a measure aimed at ethics and accountability. “Data centers bring economic opportunity, but they must not come at the expense of our ratepayers, our water resources, or our energy reliability,” Winslow said. “The Ratepayer Protection Act strikes the right balance – encouraging responsible growth while putting North Carolina families first.” The legislation is awaiting a move from the Committee on Rules, Calendar and Operations in the House of Representatives. Content Original Link: [https://www.thecentersquare.com/north\_carolina/article\_f527a06b-5c2e-4eb4-9adf-a191236d2d55.html?a](https://www.thecentersquare.com/north_carolina/article_f527a06b-5c2e-4eb4-9adf-a191236d2d55.html?a) May 26, 2026 Hits: 42