By John Marra
Ohio’s electrical grid is being pushed to its limits. Between aging infrastructure, volatile weather, and nonstop industrial demand, our state is approaching an energy crossroads. That’s why I conditionally support House Bill 427, introduced by Representative Roy Klopfenstein (R-Haviland).
The bill’s goal—modernizing our grid through demand-response programs—is sound.
But as written, HB 427 lets the biggest power users expand unchecked while households shoulder the cost of “stability.” Unless it’s amended to include a kilowatt-for-kilowatt replacement requirement for every new and expanding data center and automated manufacturing facility, this bill will make ordinary Ohioans the grid’s safety valve.
Grid is failing the people who fund it
Ohio families already feel it. Residential electric rates have climbed 30–40 percent in recent years, and utilities like FirstEnergy and AEP have filed new rate cases citing capacity shortages and rising demand. AEP projects adding 24 gigawatts of new load by 2030, nearly 9 GW from data centers alone.
The planned “Stargate” complex in Lordstown, part of a $500 billion AI and data-center network, could draw up to 1.5 gigawatts—roughly equal to the Perry Nuclear Power Plant’s output. Analysts say the nationwide Stargate system could exceed 7 GW, with Ohio as a key hub.
Here in Lake County, we know the risk. The Eastlake Power Plant once supplied our region but now sits idle. Rumors of a data-center project at that same site raise serious questions about whether our grid can handle new loads without fresh generation.
What HB 427 would do—and what it won’t
HB 427 would let utilities run “voluntary demand-response” programs—remotely raising thermostats, cycling air conditioners, or powering down appliances during peaks. That might help prevent emergencies, but it shifts responsibility from corporations to consumers. Utilities gain flexibility, big users keep continuity, and families get higher bills and less control.
I support the concept—but only if large energy consumers must replace what they use. Those who take the most power must give the most back. That’s kilowatt-for-kilowatt replacement: for every kilowatt consumed, an equal amount of new in-state generation or storage must be added.
Solar alone can’t power the future
Developers often claim to offset their use with solar panels or renewable credits. But solar works only when the sun shines. In Ohio’s cloudy winters, output can drop below 15 percent efficiency, and production stops at night.
Data centers operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Even with subsidies, solar can’t supply the steady baseload they demand. Without additional generation or large-scale storage, these offsets are accounting tricks—not real energy replacement.
The myth of “voluntary” control
Smart meters make these programs possible but also create inequity. Residents who opt out already pay $25–$40 per month just to keep analog meters. Those who stay in are told participation is “voluntary,” yet incentives make refusal unrealistic. HB 427 even allows utilities to bar customers who override controls too often. If you reclaim your thermostat too frequently, you can be expelled.
That’s not voluntary—it’s coerced compliance.
Jobs vs. reliability
Supporters tout data centers as “job creators,” but once built, most employ only a few dozen technicians. The true economic driver is reliable, affordable power—and that disappears when demand spikes push up rates for everyone else. A few high-tech jobs aren’t worth destabilizing the grid for hundreds of thousands of households.
Future risks
If unchecked, data-center growth could overwhelm Ohio’s grid within the decade. PJM Interconnection—the regional operator—has warned of capacity shortfalls by 2028 as demand outpaces new generation. Without firm replacement rules, the state could face rolling brownouts, emergency curtailments, and ongoing rate hikes. The time to act is now—before AI computing turns
our homes into the grid’s backup battery.
A simple, fair fix
The legislature can make HB 427 truly effective with one clear amendment: “No electric distribution utility shall implement or expand a demand-response program unless each new or expanded data center or automated manufacturing facility in its service territory replaces its annual load on a kilowatt-for-kilowatt basis through certified in-state generation or storage
resources.”
That safeguard ensures accountability, protects ratepayers, and balances growth with reliability.
Why it matters
Electric demand is climbing faster than supply. Without limits, rates will keep rising and households will keep paying for industrial growth they don’t control. HB 427 should pass—but only with the kilowatt-for-kilowatt requirement firmly in place.
With that amendment, Ohio can lead in responsible, reliable, and fair energy reform. Without it, we risk higher prices, rolling blackouts, and a future where families become the grid’s fallback system.
I urge every Ohioan who values fairness and affordable electricity to contact your legislators and tell them: Support HB 427—but only if it’s kilowatt for kilowatt.
John Marra is the mayor of Timberlake. The News-Herald welcomes opinion column submission so all sides of an issue may be aired.