Data Centers and Public Policy: A Q&A with ITI’s Gordon Bitko
Gordon Bitko, Executive Vice President, Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), discusses the critical issues experts will explore at the Public Policy Forum at Data Center World, April 23.
Q: Data centers have historically operated behind the scenes. Why has public policy regarding data centers become such a central part of the conversation now?
Americans’ lives, businesses, and communities are increasingly integrated with online and digital services facilitated in part by data centers, which are powered by electricity. As a result, data centers are becoming one of the fastest-growing sources of electricity demand, exposing the vulnerabilities of America’s outdated energy infrastructure.
This reality has created a rare opportunity and need for regulators, governments, and sectors to work together to modernize the U.S. electric grid — delivering reliability, protecting ratepayers, and building the resilient infrastructure the U.S. needs to compete in the 21st century.At the same time, policymakers at every level of government are actively shaping the environment in which data centers operate. The Trump Administration has put forward a Ratepayer Protection Pledge, signed by several ITI members, building on ongoing efforts by tech companies to modernize and strengthen the energy grid and drive affordability. Congress is debating permitting reform. State and local governments are making decisions right now about data center development. If you’re in this industry and you’re not paying attention to the policy landscape, you’re going to be surprised.
Q: What can attendees expect from the Public Policy Forum at Data Center World this year?
We’ve built a program that covers the full range of policy issues shaping data center development right now — from the halls of Congress to the community planning meetings where projects get approved or rejected.
We’re thrilled to have leaders like Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy, who can discuss the state of data center investment at a local level, and what different state resources can mean for needs like power, land, and operations. We’ll have a candid panel on the community concerns that increasingly determine whether projects move forward, including officials from Loudoun County, Virginia — which is the epicenter of this conversation in the United States. There’s a session on the workforce and supply chain ecosystem that supports data centers, with leaders from unions and industry who can speak to the real employment picture. We’re also hosting Members of Congress for discussions on energy costs, AI infrastructure policy, U.S. tech leadership, and more.
Q: Energy has become a defining issue for the industry. How does the forum address it?
Energy runs through almost every session on the program, which reflects reality — power availability is the single biggest constraint on data center expansion today. But the policy questions around energy are more nuanced than the headlines suggest.
There’s an active debate about who should pay for the grid infrastructure that data centers require. The tech industry has largely been paying its own way, and evidence shows that private capital invested in new generation capacity can bring energy costs down for surrounding communities rather than driving them up. But the current utility regulatory structure wasn’t designed for this kind of rapid demand growth, and it doesn’t always make it easy for the private sector to deploy capital quickly.
Policymakers will have the opportunity to discuss what the administration’s ratepayer protection pledge means in practice, whether Congress needs to act on grid modernization, and how voters are viewing energy costs.
Q: Data centers have faced growing local opposition in some communities. How should the industry be thinking about that?
The tech industry is committed to working with communities to address legitimate questions regarding data center projects and their impact. That’s why we’ve built a session specifically around community engagement, featuring people who are navigating this from different angles, including data center operators, developers, and local community leaders to explore how greater transparency, proactive engagement, and tangible benefits can turn neighbors into partners.
Q: For someone deciding whether to attend the Public Policy Forum, what’s your pitch?
The decisions being made in Washington right now will define the data center industry for the next decade. If you work in tech or energy policy, chances are a question regarding data centers will cross your desk — whether your work for a private company or policymaker.
This forum puts you in the room with a sitting governor, members of Congress, local economic development officials, and industry executives who are dealing with these issues every day. You’ll leave with a much clearer picture of where policy is heading. And frankly, this kind of public dialogue is critically important to ensure new policies fit the modern needs of Americans and communities and maintain U.S. tech leadership.