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HF2690 • 2026

A bill for an act relating to water and energy use for data centers, including reporting and tariff requirements, and including effective date provisions.(Formerly HF 2447 .)

A bill for an act relating to water and energy use for data centers, including reporting and tariff requirements, and including effective date provisions.(Formerly HF 2447 .)

Energy
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE
Last action
2026-03-12
Official status
Amendments H-8212 , H-8213 and H-8214 filed. H.J. 668 .
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

A bill for an act relating to water and energy use for data centers, including reporting and tariff requirements, and including effective date provisions.(Formerly HF 2447 .)

A bill for an act relating to water and energy use for data centers, including reporting and tariff requirements, and including effective date provisions.(Formerly HF 2447 .)

What This Bill Does

  • A bill for an act relating to water and energy use for data centers, including reporting and tariff requirements, and including effective date provisions.(Formerly HF 2447 .)

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-12 Iowa Legislature

    Amendments H-8212 , H-8213 and H-8214 filed. H.J. 668 .

  2. 2026-03-11 Iowa Legislature

    Amendments H-8203 , H-8205 and H-8207 filed. H.J. 637 .

  3. 2026-02-23 Iowa Legislature

    Introduced, placed on calendar. H.J. 378 .

Official Summary Text

A bill for an act relating to water and energy use for data centers, including reporting and tariff requirements, and including effective date provisions.(Formerly HF 2447 .)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
House

File

2690

-

Introduced

HOUSE

FILE

2690

BY

COMMITTEE

ON

COMMERCE

(SUCCESSOR

TO

HF

2447)

A

BILL

FOR

An

Act

relating

to

water

and

energy

use

for

data

centers,

1

including

reporting

and

tariff

requirements,

and

including

2

effective

date

provisions.

3

BE

IT

ENACTED

BY

THE

GENERAL

ASSEMBLY

OF

THE

STATE

OF

IOWA:

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Section

1.

NEW

SECTION

.

455B.280

Water

usage

at

data

1

centers.

2

1.

As

used

in

this

section:

3

a.

“Data

center”

means

the

same

as

defined

in

section

4

476.59.

5

b.

“Water

usage

effectiveness”

means

a

calculation

of

a

6

data

center’s

total

water

input

divided

by

the

total

water

7

consumption

of

the

data

center’s

information

technology

8

equipment.

9

2.

No

later

than

six

months

after

the

effective

date

of

10

this

Act,

or,

for

a

data

center

that

has

been

in

operation

for

11

at

least

one

year

as

of

the

effective

date

of

this

Act,

no

12

later

than

three

months

after

the

effective

date

of

this

Act,

13

or

within

three

months

of

starting

operations

for

a

new

data

14

center,

and

quarterly

thereafter,

the

owner

or

operator

of

a

15

data

center

in

the

state

of

Iowa

shall

prepare

and

submit

a

16

water

usage

report

to

the

department

that

contains

at

least

the

17

following

information:

18

a.

Basic

information

relating

to

the

data

center,

including

19

all

of

the

following:

20

(1)

The

name

of

the

data

center.

21

(2)

The

owner

or

operator

of

the

data

center.

22

(3)

The

address

of

the

data

center.

23

(4)

The

nature

or

purpose

of

the

data

center.

24

(5)

The

month

and

year

that

the

data

center

commenced

25

operation.

26

b.

Information

related

to

water

usage

at

the

data

center,

27

including

all

of

the

following:

28

(1)

The

total

water

input

in

gallons

including

the

29

respective

volumes

of

water

input

for

specific

functions

of

the

30

data

center.

31

(2)

The

source

of

water

for

the

data

center

including

a

32

municipal

water

supply,

groundwater,

or

surface

water,

and

33

whether

water

from

such

sources

is

potable

or

reclaimed,

and

34

water

withdrawal

permit

numbers.

If

a

data

center

utilizes

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more

than

one

water

source,

the

data

center

shall

provide

1

information

regarding

water

usage

from

each

source

as

a

2

percentage

of

total

water

usage.

3

(3)

Performance

calculations

and

indicators

for

the

data

4

center

regarding

water

use

effectiveness.

5

3.

Within

thirty

days

of

receiving

a

water

usage

report

from

6

the

owner

or

operator

of

a

data

center

pursuant

to

subsection

7

2,

the

department

shall

publish

the

information

on

its

internet

8

site,

and

update

the

information

as

necessary.

9

4.

An

owner

or

operator

of

a

data

center

that

has

submitted

10

a

water

usage

report

to

the

department

pursuant

to

subsection

11

2

shall

notify

the

department

of

any

substantial

change

in

12

operations

or

technologies

at

the

data

center

that

would

13

require

an

update

to

the

information

provided

in

the

water

14

usage

report

at

least

sixty

days

prior

to

implementing

the

15

change

in

operations

or

technologies

at

the

data

center.

16

Sec.

2.

Section

476.4,

subsection

3,

Code

2026,

is

amended

17

by

striking

the

subsection

and

inserting

in

lieu

thereof

the

18

following:

19

3.

The

commission

shall

provide

for

a

classification

of

20

service

for

data

centers,

as

defined

in

section

476.59.

The

21

classification

of

service

must

be

separate

and

distinct

from

22

classification

of

service

for

other

commercial

or

industrial

23

retail

electricity

consumers

and

have

its

own

tariff

schedule.

24

Any

tariff

schedule

adopted

by

the

commission

for

data

centers

25

must

meet

all

of

the

following

requirements:

26

a.

Allocate

the

costs

of

servicing

data

centers

in

a

manner

27

that

is

equal

or

proportional

to

the

costs

of

serving

the

data

28

centers

or

directly

assign

the

costs

of

serving

a

data

center

29

to

the

data

center.

30

b.

Mitigate

the

risk

of

all

of

the

following:

31

(1)

Other

classes

of

retail

electricity

consumers

paying

32

unwarranted

costs.

33

(2)

Shifting

the

costs,

in

an

unwarranted

manner,

of

34

serving

a

data

center

to

other

classes

of

retail

electricity

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consumers,

including

costs

of

an

electric

company

to

meet

1

load

requirements

resulting

from

the

provision

of

electricity

2

service

to

a

data

center.

3

c.

In

deciding

whether

to

approve

a

proposed

tariff

schedule

4

of

a

data

center,

the

commission

shall

consider

whether

the

5

rate,

charge,

or

schedule

may

do

any

of

the

following:

6

(1)

Result

in

or

have

the

potential

to

result

in

increased

7

costs

or

unwarranted

risks

to

other

retail

electricity

8

consumers.

9

(2)

Provide

for

equitable

contributions

to

grid

efficiency,

10

reliability,

and

resiliency

benefits.

11

(3)

Meet

any

other

conditions

the

commission

may

require

in

12

the

public

interest.

13

Sec.

3.

NEW

SECTION

.

476.59

Energy

usage

at

data

centers.

14

1.

As

used

in

this

section:

15

a.

“Data

center”

means

a

facility

for

which

all

of

the

16

following

apply:

17

(1)

The

facility’s

primary

services

are

the

storage,

18

management,

and

processing

of

digital

data.

19

(2)

The

facility

is

used

to

house

computer

and

network

20

systems,

including

associated

components

such

as

servers,

21

network

equipment

and

appliances,

telecommunications,

and

22

data

storage

systems,

systems

for

monitoring

and

managing

23

infrastructure

performance,

internet-related

equipment

and

24

services,

data

communications

connections,

environmental

25

controls,

fire

protection

systems,

and

security

systems

and

26

services.

27

b.

“Energy

reuse

factor”

means

a

calculation

of

waste

heat

28

reused

divided

by

total

energy

consumption.

29

c.

“Power

usage

effectiveness”

means

a

calculation

of

a

30

data

center’s

total

energy

consumption

divided

by

the

total

31

energy

consumption

of

the

data

center’s

information

technology

32

equipment.

33

d.

“Waste

heat

reused”

means

any

heat

that

is

used

or

reused

34

outside

the

boundary

of

a

data

center

and

that

replaces,

partly

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or

entirely,

energy

needed

outside

the

boundary

of

the

data

1

center.

2

2.

No

later

than

six

months

after

the

effective

date

of

3

this

Act,

or,

for

a

data

center

that

has

been

in

operation

for

4

at

least

one

year

as

of

the

effective

date

of

this

Act,

no

5

later

than

three

months

after

the

effective

date

of

this

Act,

6

or

within

three

months

of

starting

operations

for

a

new

data

7

center,

and

quarterly

thereafter,

the

owner

or

operator

of

a

8

data

center

in

the

state

of

Iowa

shall

prepare

and

submit

an

9

energy

usage

report

to

the

commission

that

contains

at

least

10

the

following

information:

11

a.

Basic

information

relating

to

the

data

center,

including

12

all

of

the

following:

13

(1)

The

name

of

the

data

center.

14

(2)

The

owner

or

operator

of

the

data

center.

15

(3)

The

address

of

the

data

center.

16

(4)

The

nature

or

purpose

of

the

data

center.

17

(5)

The

month

and

year

that

the

data

center

commenced

18

operation.

19

b.

Information

related

to

energy

usage

at

the

data

center,

20

including

all

of

the

following:

21

(1)

The

total

energy

consumption

in

kilowatt

hours

during

22

the

reporting

period,

including

the

use

of

electricity,

fuels,

23

and

other

energy

sources

used

for

cooling.

24

(2)

All

on-site

power

supplies,

including

any

primary

power

25

on

site

and

emergency

backup

power

supply,

and

any

permit

26

information,

including

permit

numbers,

capacity,

tier

level,

27

fuel

type,

total

permitted

emissions

for

the

data

center,

and

28

any

other

relevant

information.

29

(3)

The

total

energy

consumption

in

kilowatt

hours

measured

30

as

the

value

of

the

combined

annual

energy

consumption

at

every

31

uninterruptible

power

system.

32

c.

Performance

calculations

for

the

data

center,

including

33

the

energy

reuse

factor

and

power

usage

effectiveness.

34

d.

Sustainability

indicators

for

the

data

center,

including

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all

of

the

following:

1

(1)

The

average

set

point

intake

temperature

in

degrees

2

Fahrenheit,

which

shall

be

measured

as

the

average

set

point

3

temperature

in

all

of

the

data

center’s

computer

rooms

over

a

4

twelve-month

period.

5

(2)

The

average

waste

heat

temperature

in

degrees

6

Fahrenheit,

which

shall

be

measured

as

the

temperature

of

the

7

fluid

used

to

cool

any

information

and

communication

technology

8

equipment,

averaged

over

a

twelve-month

period

and

across

every

9

measurement

point.

Individual

waste

heat

temperature

readings

10

shall

be

measured

at

the

point

where

heated

fluid

enters

a

heat

11

exchanger

in

the

data

center’s

computer

rooms.

12

(3)

The

amount

of

waste

heat

reused

in

kilowatt

hours.

13

e.

Any

other

information

deemed

necessary

by

the

commission.

14

3.

Within

thirty

days

of

receiving

an

energy

usage

report

15

from

the

owner

or

operator

of

a

data

center

pursuant

to

16

subsection

2,

the

commission

shall

publish

the

nonprivileged

17

information

on

its

internet

site

and

update

the

information

as

18

necessary.

19

4.

An

owner

or

operator

of

a

data

center

that

has

submitted

20

an

energy

usage

report

to

the

commission

pursuant

to

subsection

21

2

shall

notify

the

commission

of

any

substantial

change

in

22

operations

or

technologies

at

the

data

center

that

would

23

require

an

update

to

the

information

provided

in

the

energy

24

usage

report

at

least

sixty

days

prior

to

implementing

the

25

change

in

operations

or

technologies

at

the

data

center.

26

Sec.

4.

EFFECTIVE

DATE.

This

Act,

being

deemed

of

immediate

27

importance,

takes

effect

upon

enactment.

28

EXPLANATION

29

The

inclusion

of

this

explanation

does

not

constitute

agreement

with

30

the

explanation’s

substance

by

the

members

of

the

general

assembly.

31

This

bill

relates

to

water

and

energy

use

for

data

centers,

32

including

reporting

and

tariff

requirements.

33

The

bill

requires

owners

or

operators

of

data

centers

34

located

in

Iowa

to

submit

periodic

water

usage

reports

to

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the

department

of

natural

resources

(department).

The

bill

1

requires

data

center

owners

or

operators

to

submit

an

initial

2

water

usage

report

within

six

months

after

the

effective

date

3

of

the

bill

if

the

data

center

has

been

in

operation

for

less

4

than

one

year,

within

three

months

of

the

effective

date

of

5

the

bill

if

the

data

center

has

been

in

operation

for

at

6

least

one

year,

or

within

three

months

of

starting

operations

7

for

a

new

data

center,

and

submit

updated

reports

quarterly

8

thereafter.

The

reports

must

include

identifying

information

9

about

the

data

center

and

certain

information

regarding

water

10

inputs,

water

sources,

and

water

usage

effectiveness.

The

bill

11

requires

the

department

to

publish

the

reported

information

on

12

its

internet

site

within

30

days

of

receipt.

The

bill

also

13

requires

a

data

center

to

notify

the

department

at

least

60

14

days

before

implementing

any

substantial

change

in

operations

15

or

technologies

that

would

require

updating

the

reported

16

information.

17

The

bill

requires

the

Iowa

utilities

commission

(commission)

18

to

establish

a

separate

classification

of

electric

service

19

for

data

centers

that

is

distinct

from

other

commercial

or

20

industrial

customers

and

that

has

its

own

tariff

schedule.

The

21

bill

specifies

that

tariffs

for

data

centers

must

allocate

or

22

directly

assign

costs

in

proportion

to

the

costs

of

serving

23

data

centers

and

must

mitigate

the

risk

of

other

customer

24

classes

paying

unwarranted

costs

and

the

risk

of

shifting,

in

25

an

unwarranted

manner,

the

costs

of

serving

a

data

center

to

26

other

customer

classes.

27

The

bill

requires

the

commission,

when

deciding

whether

28

to

approve

a

proposed

tariff

for

a

data

center,

to

consider

29

whether

the

proposal

may

result

in

or

have

the

potential

30

to

result

in

increased

costs

or

unwarranted

risks

to

other

31

retail

consumers,

whether

the

proposal

provides

for

equitable

32

contributions

to

grid

efficiency,

reliability,

and

resiliency

33

benefits,

and

whether

the

proposal

meets

any

other

conditions

34

the

commission

may

require

in

the

public

interest.

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The

bill

requires

owners

or

operators

of

data

centers

1

located

in

Iowa

to

submit

periodic

energy

usage

reports

to

the

2

commission.

Data

center

owners

or

operators

are

required

to

3

submit

energy

usage

reports

to

the

utilities

commission

on

4

the

same

timeline

as

the

water

usage

reports.

The

reports

5

must

include

identifying

information

about

the

data

center

6

and

certain

information

regarding

energy

consumption

and

7

on-site

power

supplies.

The

report

must

also

include

certain

8

performance

metrics

and

sustainability

indicators.

The

bill

9

provides

similar

publication

requirements

for

the

commission

10

and

similar

notification

of

substantial

change

requirements

for

11

data

centers

regarding

energy

usage

reports

as

required

for

12

water

usage

reports.

13

The

bill

strikes

provisions

relating

to

rate,

charge,

rule,

14

and

regulation

filings

made

prior

to

July

4,

1963.

The

bill

15

takes

effect

upon

enactment.

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