Rep. Brennan Urges Data Center Committee to Protect Ohio Consumers from Rising Utility Costs

COLUMBUS - State Rep. Sean Patrick Brennan (D-Parma) recently sent a letter to the Ohio Select Committee on Data Centers urging lawmakers to adopt policies that ensure Ohio consumers are not forced to bear the costs associated with the rapidly growing energy demands of data centers.

Rep. Brennan warned that without appropriate safeguards, residential customers, small businesses, schools, and local governments could face higher utility bills as Ohio experiences an unprecedented expansion of data center development.

"Ohio families should not be subsidizing the energy needs of some of the wealthiest corporations in the world," said Rep. Brennan. "Economic development is important, but it must not come at the expense of consumers who are already struggling with rising utility costs."

In his letter, Rep. Brennan cited concerns recently raised by PJM Interconnection, the regional transmission organization that manages Ohio's electric grid. PJM warned that absent clear protections, costs associated with serving data centers could be shifted to other utility customers.

Rep. Brennan noted that concern over potential cost-shifting was the primary reason he agreed to co-sponsor the legislation creating the Select Committee on Data Centers. He was the only Democratic member of the Ohio House to sign onto the co-sponsorship request when it was circulated.

"I supported the creation of this committee because I believe Ohio needs a thoughtful, bipartisan examination of how large-scale data center development could affect our electric grid and utility bills," continued Rep. Brennan. "My goal from the beginning has been simple: make sure Ohio consumers are protected."

The Parma lawmaker called on the committee to recommend policies that:

• Require data centers to bear the full costs of transmission, generation, distribution, and capacity investments attributable to their energy demands;
• Prevent costs from being shifted to residential and other utility customers;
• Increase transparency regarding energy usage and grid impacts;
• Establish long-term commitments from large-load customers to prevent stranded costs; and
• Prioritize affordability and reliability for Ohio ratepayers.
• Rep. Brennan emphasized that consumer protection and economic development are not mutually exclusive goals.

"Ohio can continue attracting investment and creating jobs while ensuring that the costs associated with that growth are borne by those creating the demand," concluded Rep. Brennan. "The committee has an opportunity to establish a fair framework that protects ratepayers while supporting responsible development."

A copy of Rep. Brennan's letter has been provided to the committee's co-chairs and members for consideration as they continue their review of data center policy and its impact on Ohio's energy infrastructure.