COLUMBUS, Ohio (WOWO) — Ohio lawmakers at both the state and federal levels are advancing new legislation aimed at slowing rising electricity costs, as many consumers continue to see significant increases in their monthly utility bills. The proposals focus on limiting future rate increases approve d by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, while also addressing the growing electricity demand from large energy users, including data centers. State Rep. Desiree Tims, D-Dayton, introduced House Bill 970 on July 1, which would prohibit the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio from approving new electric rate increases for one year according to WCMH. The legislation would also temporarily block the commission from approving new utility riders, which are additional charges added to customer bills to pay for specific programs or infrastructure projects. The proposal comes as many Ohio residents have reported sharp increases in their electric bills over the past year. Utility companies, including AEP Ohio, have attributed much of those increases to higher electricity generation costs driven by growing demand. AEP Ohio has said those generation costs are passed directly to customers without generating additional profit for the utility because Ohio law prevents the company from producing its own electricity. According to AEP Ohio, customers last summer saw electric bills increase by an average of about $27 per month because of higher generation costs. Lawmakers and consumer advocates have increasingly pointed to Ohio’s rapid expansion of data centers as a major contributor to rising electricity demand. Nearly 200 data center projects have been proposed or developed across the state, with the facilities requiring significant amounts of power to operate. While House Bill 970 would temporarily prevent additional rate increases, it would not directly address the increased demand created by data centers. Tims is among several lawmakers urging Gov. Mike DeWine and state regulators to establish a separate rate structure that would require large energy users, such as data centers, to shoulder more of the costs associated with expanding the electric grid. At the federal level, U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, has introduced the Ratepayer Protection Act. The legislation would require states to consider new standards for connecting large electricity users, including data centers, to the power grid. Under the proposal, states would have two years to evaluate policies that could require major energy consumers to pay for the generation and transmission infrastructure needed to serve their projects, rather than shifting those costs to residential customers and small businesses. “If America wants to lead the world in AI and strengthen our national security, we have to build the energy infrastructure to support it. But we must do that without passing the costs on to working families and small businesses,” Husted said in announcing the legislation. The new proposals come as Ohio lawmakers continue debating how to balance economic development with the growing strain large industrial projects place on the state’s electric system. Earlier this year, Gov. Mike DeWine indefinitely paused Ohio’s tax exemptions for new data centers while lawmakers considered broader reforms. However, legislation addressing data center incentives and electricity costs stalled before lawmakers recessed and is not expected to advance until after the November election. Both the state and federal proposals remain in the early stages of the legislative process. The post New Ohio Bills Seek to Protect Ratepayers From Rising Utility Costs appeared first on WOWO News/Talk 92.3 FM and 1190 AM. ...read more read less