Data centers in Ohio

📜 State laws

House Bill 646: data center rules, stuck in the Senate · June 11, 2026
HB 646 started as a bill to create a Data Center Study Commission. The Ohio House passed that version 97-0 on March 18, 2026. In June 2026 the Senate Energy Committee rewrote it into a full set of data center rules. The new version would: make very big data centers (250 megawatts or more) bring power that offsets what they take from the grid; make data centers pay all direct costs of their electric service and create a separate electric rate class for them; make them report water use every year to ODNR and water quality every 3 months to Ohio EPA, and use closed-loop cooling or best water-saving practices; make secret deals (NDAs) about data centers open to public records requests; cut the state sales tax break from 100% to 50%; and require cash or a bond from developers who get local property tax breaks. Lawmakers could not agree before the summer break (June 10-11, 2026), mostly over the tax break. The bill was sent back to the Senate Energy Committee. The legislature returns after the November 2026 election. If it does not pass by the end of 2026, it dies. Source

House Bill 15 (2025): new energy law · May 15, 2025
Governor DeWine signed HB 15 on May 15, 2025. It took effect August 14, 2025. It ends 'electric security plans' that utilities used to add extra charges to bills, and it repealed the charge on bills that supported two old coal plants (created by the scandal-tainted House Bill 6). It also requires utility rate cases every three years, and it made it easier for big users like data centers to get power from their own nearby power plant ('behind the meter'), even when the plant is not on the same site, and it set faster timelines for the Ohio Power Siting Board. Since then, many data centers have asked to build their own gas plants. The PUCO says the Siting Board approved or received applications for over 2,000 megawatts of such plants in 2025 alone. Source

Other data center bills waiting in 2026 · Aug 14, 2026
Several other bills are pending but have not passed either chamber: HB 706 (make data centers sign utility contracts of at least 12 years, post money up front, and keep their costs off other customers' bills); HB 695 (ban county commissioners, township trustees and village officials from signing secret deals (NDAs) about their official work); HB 784 (monthly and yearly water use reports for data centers that take water from rivers, lakes or wells, plus NDA limits); SB 381 (require PUCO approval before a big data center connects to the grid); and HB 985 (lower the signatures needed for local referendums from 35% to 20%). All bills not passed by the end of 2026 die and must be filed again in 2027. Source

Senate Bill 294: 'clean energy' redefinition passed the Senate · June 10, 2026
SB 294 would set a state energy policy of 'affordable, reliable, and clean energy security.' Critics say its rule that power plants must run at least 50% of the time favors gas, nuclear and coal over solar and wind, and that it is aimed at powering data centers. The Senate passed it 24-9 on June 10, 2026. It is waiting for a House vote. Source

Citizen plan to ban big data centers in the Ohio Constitution · June 22, 2026
A residents' group from Brown and Adams counties got approval in spring 2026 to collect signatures for a constitutional amendment banning data centers that use more than 25 megawatts. It needed more than 413,000 valid signatures from at least 44 counties by July 1, 2026, to make the November 2026 ballot. It did not get enough: the sponsors (now called Conserve Ohio) reported about 76,600 signatures in June. They say they will keep collecting and aim for the November 2027 ballot. Source

Legislature's joint data center committee (2026) · May 27, 2026
In May 2026 the House and Senate formed a joint Select Committee on Data Centers, led by Rep. Adam Holmes and Sen. Brian Chavez. It heard state agencies, PJM, the industry and the public starting May 27, 2026. Testimony is posted on the legislature's website. Its work fed into the rewritten HB 646. Source

💡 Who pays for the power

AEP Ohio data center rate rules (since July 2025) · July 9, 2025
On July 9, 2025, the PUCO approved special rules for new data centers in AEP Ohio's service area. They took effect July 23, 2025. New data centers over 25 megawatts must sign contracts of up to 12 years (a ramp-up of up to 4 years plus 8 years), pay for at least 85% of the power they signed up for even if they use less, post money up front (collateral) unless they have very strong credit, and pay an exit fee if they leave early. They also pay a $10,000 to $100,000 study fee. The PUCO says this cut AEP's data center requests from over 30,000 megawatts to 5,642 megawatts signed by February 2026. The next round of AEP studies starts October 1, 2026. Source

Data centers returning to AEP's default power pay their own way (August 2026) · Aug 5, 2026
On August 5, 2026 (case 26-113-EL-ATA), the PUCO ordered that a data center that wants to switch back to AEP Ohio's default power supply must give 180 days' notice. AEP will buy power for it separately and charge the whole cost to the data center, so other customers on the default rate do not pay for it. Source

Data center rate rules coming for FirstEnergy, AES Ohio and others · May 27, 2026
The PUCO directed FirstEnergy's three Ohio utilities (Ohio Edison, Illuminating Company, Toledo Edison) to propose their own data center rate rules in May 2026, and PUCO staff recommended data center rate classes in AES Ohio's rate case. Data centers are still billed as regular commercial or industrial customers for power line (transmission) costs; the PUCO told lawmakers it is reviewing how to make data centers pay their full share. These cases were not decided as of October 2026. Source

Electric bills are rising · Sept 21, 2026
A state audit of the PUCO (September 2026) found Ohio energy prices up 34% since 2022, and said the PUCO has no strategic plan for data center growth. The PUCO says data center demand is growing faster than ever in the regional grid (PJM). Governor DeWine joined 12 PJM-region governors and the White House in asking PJM to make data centers pay for new power plants built for them, and the PUCO says it is following the 'Ratepayer Protection Pledge' that data centers should pay their own way. Source

💵 Tax breaks

Sales tax break on data center equipment (paused for new requests) · May 27, 2026
Since 2013, the state Tax Credit Authority can let data centers skip all or part of the state, county and transit sales tax on servers, cooling, power equipment and building materials. To qualify, a project must spend at least $100 million in 3 years and pay at least $1.5 million a year in wages at the site. The state has deals with 18 companies. Older deals were often 100% for up to 40 years; newer ones are usually 50% for 10 to 15 years. The tax break cost the state about $1.57 billion in 2025, about 12 times what was expected. Lawmakers voted to end it for building materials in the 2025 budget, but Governor DeWine vetoed that. On May 27, 2026, DeWine told the Tax Credit Authority to stop taking new data center requests while lawmakers study data centers. Existing deals continue. Source

Local property tax breaks · Sept 22, 2026
Counties, cities and villages can also give data centers property tax breaks. For example, Amazon's two data centers in Jerome Township (Union County) got 10-year tax breaks approved at the county level. The rewritten HB 646 would limit these breaks and require cash or a bond from the developer; it has not passed. Source

🤐 Secret deals and public records

Secret deals (NDAs) are legal in Ohio · Aug 19, 2026
No Ohio law stops local officials from signing secret deals (NDAs) with data center developers. Examples: all three Scioto County commissioners signed NDAs with a developer (later revealed as Google) between June and November 2025, and a city official in Trenton signed an NDA for a planned 250-megawatt data center there. Bills to ban or open up these NDAs (HB 695, HB 784 and the rewritten HB 646) have not passed. Source

Ohio Public Records Act: anyone can ask · 2026
Anyone can ask any Ohio public office (state, county, township, city, village, school board) for public records. You do not have to live in Ohio, give your name, or say why you want them, and you do not have to ask in writing. The office must make records available 'promptly' and copies 'within a reasonable period of time'. There is no set number of days. NDAs, contracts, emails and meeting packets held by the government are usually public records. Source

If a records request is denied · April 9, 2025
You can file a complaint with the Court of Claims for a $25 filing fee, without a lawyer. File it with the clerk of courts in your county or with the Court of Claims, and attach your request and any answers you got. The case usually goes to mediation first. If you win, you get your $25 back. You can instead file a 'mandamus' lawsuit in common pleas court, the court of appeals or the Ohio Supreme Court. Source

Open Meetings Act (Sunshine Law) · 2026
Township trustees, county commissioners, city and village councils and their boards must hold their meetings and votes in public, with notice. They can go into a closed 'executive session' only for reasons listed in the law, after a roll-call vote, and only during a regular or special meeting. The Ohio Attorney General publishes a free Sunshine Laws manual. Source

Power plant permits can hide some details · Feb 3, 2026
When Will-Power OH applied to the Ohio Power Siting Board for the gas plant next to Meta's Wood County data center, it asked to keep its cost estimates and parts of its reports confidential. The Siting Board approved the plant on February 3, 2026, under a fast-track process with no public hearing. Source

💧 Water

Who approves the water a data center uses · May 27, 2026
All Ohio data centers today buy water from a local public water system (city, village or water district), so the local system and its council or board decide whether to serve them. Ohio EPA checks whether the water plant has enough capacity and approves plans for new or bigger plants. ODNR says it cannot see how much water data centers use, because the water system, not the data center, reports it. Source

State water withdrawal rules (ODNR) · May 27, 2026
Anyone who can take more than 100,000 gallons a day from rivers, lakes or wells must register with ODNR's Division of Water Resources and report use every year. This is not a permit and sets no limit. A permit is needed for new use that consumes more than 2 million gallons a day (Ohio River basin), or in the Lake Erie watershed for new or bigger withdrawals of 1 million gallons a day from rivers or wells, 2.5 million from Lake Erie, or 100,000 from a high-quality stream. Power plants approved by the Ohio Power Siting Board are exempt from the 2-million-gallon permit, and no data center has applied for one. Source

Wastewater and cooling water (Ohio EPA) · May 27, 2026
Most data centers send wastewater to a city sewer plant, which needs no state discharge permit. A data center that sends cooling water straight into a stream needs an Ohio EPA NPDES permit (one had been issued by May 2026). Ohio EPA also issues permits to build wastewater systems (30 issued for data centers) and construction stormwater permits (59). In early 2026 Ohio EPA proposed one statewide 'general permit' for data center wastewater and stormwater. It got thousands of comments and no decision date has been set. Source

🌫️ Air and generators

Air permits for backup generators (Ohio EPA) · May 27, 2026
Ohio EPA's Division of Air Pollution Control issues air permits for data center diesel backup generators and for gas plants built to power data centers. Most data centers get 'synthetic minor' permits, with limits that keep them below the size that needs a stricter federal (Title V) permit. By May 2026 Ohio EPA had permitted 4,916 data center backup generators and 6 'behind-the-meter' power plants. Draft permits get a public comment period, and Ohio EPA holds a public meeting when there is interest. Example: in March 2026 it held a meeting on a draft permit for up to 158 generators at an Amazon data center in Hilliard. Source

Power plants and big power lines (Ohio Power Siting Board) · Feb 3, 2026
The Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB) must approve power plants of 50 megawatts or more and power lines of 100,000 volts (100 kV) or more, including gas plants built only for a data center. Local governments cannot require their own permits for a plant or line the Board approves. A fast-track 'letter of notification' process can approve a gas plant for one customer on industrial land with no public hearing; for example, the 350-megawatt plant for Meta's Wood County data center was approved automatically on February 3, 2026, after a comment period. Full applications get a local public hearing. Source

🙋 How to have your say

Who decides a data center near you · 2026
In Ohio, land is either inside a city or village, or in a township. Cities and villages zone their own land through their council (often after a planning commission). In township areas, the township trustees decide if the township has its own zoning; if not, the county commissioners decide (if the county has zoning). Power plants and big power lines are decided by the state Power Siting Board, not local zoning. Tax breaks and water service are decided separately by the local council, county or water system. Source

How a township rezoning works · Sept 23, 2026
The township zoning commission must hold a public hearing 20 to 40 days after a rezoning is proposed, with a newspaper or online notice at least 10 days before. If 10 or fewer parcels are involved, neighbors next to and across the street get a letter. The county or regional planning commission also reviews it. The commission recommends within 30 days, then the trustees hold their own hearing and vote within 20 days after it. Speak or send written comments at both hearings. Source

Putting a rezoning to a public vote (referendum) · Sept 23, 2026
Voters can force a public vote on a township rezoning, but the petition must be filed within 30 days after the trustees adopt it and be signed by registered voters in the area equal to 35% of the votes cast for governor there in the last governor's race. For county zoning the number is 8% (35% for planned-unit districts). For a city or village ordinance it is 35%, filed within 30 days. Rezonings for state 'megaprojects' cannot be put to a referendum, and 'emergency' measures can't either, but on August 7, 2026, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled Ashville had to send residents' petition on its EdgeConneX data center deal to the ballot because the village gave no specific reason for the emergency. HB 985 would lower the 35% to 20%. Source

Appealing a local decision · 2026
Most final decisions of a board of zoning appeals, township trustees or council on a specific property can be appealed to the county common pleas court within 30 days after the decision is formally entered (Ohio's administrative appeal law). Get legal advice early; deadlines are strict. Source

How to ask for records · 2026
Ask the township fiscal officer, city or village clerk, or county commissioners' clerk for records such as NDAs, development agreements, emails with the developer, and water or sewer agreements. You can ask by email. Ask for each item clearly. If they refuse or delay, file a $25 complaint with the Court of Claims (see 'If a records request is denied'). Source

How to comment on power rates and power plants · Aug 5, 2026
You can send public comments on any PUCO or Power Siting Board case. Use the case number (for example 24-508-EL-ATA for the AEP data center rules, or 26-113-EL-ATA). Siting Board cases for full power plant applications hold a local public hearing where anyone can speak. The Ohio Consumers' Counsel represents homeowners in PUCO cases. Source

How to comment on air and water permits · 2026
Ohio EPA posts draft permits and public meetings on its 'Weekly Review and Public Notices' page, searchable by county. Send written comments before the deadline, and ask for a public meeting if none is set. Source

🧾 Help with your bills

HEAP: help with winter heating bills · July 1, 2026
The Home Energy Assistance Program gives a one-time credit on your main heating bill (utility or bulk fuel) once each winter. Apply online at energyhelp.ohio.gov or through your local Community Action Agency. For winter 2026-2027, applications are taken July 1, 2026, to May 31, 2027. Processing can take up to 12 weeks. Source

Winter Crisis Program: help if you face a shut-off · Nov 1, 2026
Once each winter, this program can pay to stop a shut-off, turn power or gas back on, start new service, or refill bulk fuel. It runs November 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027. You need an appointment (in person or remote) with your local Community Action Agency. Source

PIPP Plus and payment plans · 2026
PIPP Plus lets income-eligible households of PUCO-regulated utilities pay a set percentage of their monthly income instead of the full bill, all year. Utilities must also offer payment plans for past-due bills (the One-Ninth, One-Sixth and winter One-Third plans). Enroll in PIPP Plus through your local Community Action Agency. Source

📞 Who to contact

Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) · Oct 6, 2026
Sets rates and rules for investor-owned utilities like AEP Ohio, FirstEnergy, Duke Energy Ohio and AES Ohio, including the data center rate rules. Takes public comments and consumer complaints. Source

Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB) · Oct 6, 2026
Approves power plants of 50 megawatts or more and power lines of 100 kV or more, including gas plants built for data centers. Holds local public hearings on full applications. Source

Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel (OCC) · Oct 6, 2026
State agency that represents residential utility customers in PUCO cases and courts. Has fact sheets on bill help and payment plans. Source

Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) · Oct 6, 2026
Issues air permits for generators and gas plants, wastewater and stormwater permits, and checks drinking water plant capacity. Posts draft permits and public meetings weekly. Source

ODNR Division of Water Resources · Oct 6, 2026
Registers big water withdrawals (over 100,000 gallons a day) and issues high-volume water use permits. Source

Ohio Department of Development and Tax Credit Authority · Oct 6, 2026
Runs the data center sales tax break. The Tax Credit Authority approves the deals; new data center requests are paused since May 2026. Source

Court of Claims of Ohio (public records complaints) · Oct 6, 2026
Handles $25 public records complaints when a government office will not give you records. Source

Ohio Attorney General: Sunshine Laws · Oct 6, 2026
Publishes the free Sunshine Laws manual on public records and open meetings and offers training. Source

Energy help (HEAP, Winter Crisis, PIPP Plus) · Oct 6, 2026
Apply for state energy help online or find your local Community Action Agency. Source

Ohio General Assembly · Oct 6, 2026
Bills, committee hearings and testimony on data centers, including the Select Committee on Data Centers and HB 646. Source