The environmental group Save Ohio Parks is pushing state policy makers to back more renewable energy sources to power the growing number of data centers across the state.
Recommendations the organization made Monday include:
- Placing a moratorium on approving data centers until new regulations are adopted.
- Requiring data centers to meet or offset their energy demands with 100% solar and wind power and battery storage.
- Requiring data centers to implement best practices for energy efficiency.
- Ensuring data centers pay the necessary grid modernization costs.
- Requiring water efficiency measures and public reporting on water use.
The organization cited current Ohio law that limits the development of solar and wind generation, while making it easier for new natural gas plants to be approved.
"Since Ohio has made building renewable energy nearly impossible, data centers are turning to gas generation," said Rachel Kutzley, lead author of the report and Save Ohio Parks board member. "Building out more gas infrastructure will lock in our dependency on gas for another 30 years, with implications for the environment, for our health, and for our energy bills."
A report the group released Monday also claims the amount of energy generation the state could have gained if the project weren't withdrawn or restricted is close to the amount of power American Electric Power data center interconnections request.
During AEP's earnings call on May 5 for its first quarter 2026, AEP President and CEO Bill Fehrman said the utility expects the total amount of power the company will generate nationwide by 2030 will nearly double what AEP already uses. And that will be driven largely by more data centers in Ohio and Texas.
The Save Ohio Parks report says Ohio has 203 data centers, placing it fifth in the country. That includes more than 130 in the Columbus area.
Those data centers account for 1.6% of total energy use in Ohio.
