Ohio regulators turn down appeal, OK utility’s data center billing plan

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio is giving American Electric Power the green light to start charging data centers differently. The decision is another acknowledgement of the strain large energy consumers are placing on the grid.

In a press release, the Ohio Consumer’s Counsel praised the commission for ensuring data centers “pay their own way.”

The PUCO’s latest decision set aside an appeal brought by tech interests like Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft as well as the Ohio Manufacturers Association. But that might not be the final word.

The deep-pocketed companies fueling Ohio’s data center boom can still appeal to the state supreme court. The Ohio Manufacturer’s Association is already promising to do so, saying the recent ruling leaves them “no choice.”