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At a recent Union County Chamber of Commerce Impact Breakfast, utility providers addressed concerns from Union County residents regarding the potential for data centers to increase local electricity costs. Anthony Smith, CEO of Union Rural Electric Cooperative, clarified that large data centers are not fed by the same lines as residential neighborhoods and are instead served by dedicated substations directly connected to the transmission grid. Rob Beeler of AES Ohio further explained that data center companies are required to pay 100% of the costs associated with connecting to the grid, including new substations and service lines. These companies also make upfront financial commitments, such as minimum usage levels and long-term agreements, to ensure sufficient revenue is generated to offset their impact on the grid, preventing cost shifts to residential and small-business customers. Ben Wilson of Buckeye Power added that PJM, the regional grid operator, is exploring a separate pricing structure for data centers to allocate new generation costs driven by their demand directly to them. Evan Wilcox of AEP Ohio emphasized the need for comprehensive planning, with utilities evaluating the cumulative impact of multiple large loads on the system. While safeguards are in place, the challenge remains ensuring these protections continue to mitigate cost impacts as data center demand grows across central Ohio.