Ohio’s Energy Choice: Trump’s Energy Dominance Agenda or Failed California Policies
Ohio is now seeing a new industrial revolution take place. After more than two decades of relatively flat demand growth for electricity, the burgeoning artificial intelligence (AI) and data center sector — as well as renewed investment in the manufacturing base — are expected to supercharge the need for additional resources.
Ohio policymakers owe it to their constituents to ensure reliability and affordability, and that includes adapting to the rapidly shifting levels of demand for electricity. Unfortunately, Ohio has in recent years seen scandals related to abuse of taxpayer dollars and opacity around ESPs that have not benefitted consumers. It is only appropriate to reevaluate and reform the processes for cost recovery. However, two reform bills being considered in the Ohio legislature – Senate Bill 2 (S.B. 2) and House Bill 15 (H.B. 15), will undermine the stability of the state’s electric grid without benefitting customers or the economic prospects for the economy.
In this paper, we will discuss the implications of these policies and how, if enacted, rather than unleash the power of competition to reduce costs will actually reduce Ohio’s economic competitiveness in favor of speculative, and heavily subsidized, wind and solar developers that do not have to worry about maintaining and growing the transmission infrastructure upon which the livelihoods of Buckeyes rely.
March 18, 2025