Ohio Gubernatorial Candidate Proposes Free Electricity for Residents Living Near Data Centers
Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has proposed a new data center policy. The plan would require future data center developments to provide free electricity to nearby homeowners, end property tax abatements, and mandate advanced water recycling and reuse. The proposal also includes a temporary pause on new data center approvals if Ramaswamy is elected.
Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has unveiled a comprehensive "Ohioans-First" data center policy. This proposal aims to reshape how new data center projects are approved and operated within the state, directly benefiting nearby residents.
The centerpiece of the plan is a requirement for future data centers to provide free electricity to surrounding households. This would be achieved by allowing data centers to build their own natural gas or nuclear power plants, with any excess electricity directed to the grid and credited to residential electric bills within a designated radius. The candidate claims this could eliminate electric bills for thousands of homes. Additionally, the proposal seeks to end future property tax abatements for data centers, directing full property tax revenues towards rebates for homeowners in the benefit zone, thereby providing tax relief without impacting local government funding.
Beyond financial incentives, the policy includes environmental stipulations, mandating that new facilities use best-available technology for water recycling and reuse, returning discharged water at its original quality. It also prioritizes the redevelopment of former industrial sites over productive farmland. If elected, Ramaswamy intends to issue an executive order on his first day in office to temporarily pause approvals of new data center projects until this proposed legislation is enacted.