COLUMBUS, Ohio (AVC News) — The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio has approved new requirements aimed at protecting AEP Ohio customers from potential electricity costs associated with large data centers.
Under the order, data center customers that want to return to AEP Ohio’s default electricity service must provide 180 days’ notice. AEP Ohio will then purchase electricity for those customers through separate auctions or spot-market purchases, with all costs assigned directly to the data center.
PUCO Chair Jenifer French said the action is designed to ensure residential and other utility customers are not responsible for the costs of serving large energy users.
The commission said the order builds on previous efforts to create a separate rate class for data centers and follows commitments made under the state’s Ratepayer Protection Pledge.
Ohio law allows customers to choose their own electricity supplier. Customers who do not select a supplier receive service through their local utility’s Standard Service Offer, which is supplied through competitive wholesale auctions.
The new process applies specifically to AEP Ohio customers and is intended to prevent data center energy demand from increasing default electricity costs for other ratepayers.
Last Updated on August 6, 2026 by AVC News
