Electricity supplier delays buying power for Ohio data centers
Federal regulators delayed PJM Interconnection’s planned electricity procurement auction, which was intended to address supply shortages driven largely by data center demand. Ohio lawmakers have not enacted proposed ratepayer protections, and Senate President Rob McColley rejected calls to consider a data center moratorium during a special legislative session.
PJM Interconnection delayed a planned backstop procurement auction after the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission raised concerns that the process could shift data center-related electricity costs onto ordinary ratepayers. PJM has attributed growing pressure on the regional power supply to rapidly increasing data center demand, including in Ohio.
Ohio lawmakers discussed reviving House Bill 646, which would create a separate data center electricity rate class and establish ratepayer protections, but the bill stalled over disagreements about tax incentives. State legislators including Tristan Rader, Matt Huffman, Kent Smith, Adam Holmes and Nickie Antonio supported renewed action, while Senate President Rob McColley rejected calls for a data center moratorium during the emergency session and said the state was already addressing the issue through other measures.