Ohio Consumers’ Counsel Backs Bill to Shield Households from Skyrocketing Data Center Energy Costs
Ohio Consumers’ Counsel Maureen Willis testified in strong support of House Bill 706, a legislative effort aimed at protecting households from rising energy costs due to the state's data center growth. The bill seeks to hold tech companies financially accountable for the extraordinary electricity demand they generate, rather than burdening residential consumers and small businesses. House Bill 706 is currently under active consideration by the Ohio House Energy Committee.
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio Consumers’ Counsel Maureen Willis recently testified before the Ohio House Energy Committee, advocating for House Bill 706. This legislation seeks to safeguard Ohio households from bearing the financial brunt of the state's rapidly expanding tech infrastructure, particularly the substantial electricity demands of data centers.
The bill's central tenet, as articulated by Willis on behalf of the Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel (OCC), is that costs should align with their causation. HB 706 aims to ensure that technology companies responsible for increased infrastructure costs, rather than residential consumers and small businesses, are held financially accountable. The OCC emphasized that without regulatory intervention, consumers could face "stranded" utility costs if companies abandon projects after significant grid investments are made.
While supporting HB 706, Willis and the OCC also proposed two amendments to enhance consumer protections and address potential loopholes. The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio's existing data center tariff framework serves as a foundation for the proposed legislation, which is currently undergoing active consideration by the Ohio House Energy Committee.