Rick Platt, a member of the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) and president and CEO of the Heath-Newark-Licking County Port Authority, recently wrote that Ohio’s energy economy is “anything but mundane.”

OMA members saw that firsthand during last month’s Energy Committee meeting and tour at Cenovus’ Lima Refinery, the oldest continually operating refinery in the United States. From refining and pipelines to rail, supply chains, power generation and grid planning, Ohio’s energy system is complex, interconnected and essential to manufacturing competitiveness.

“Rick Platt is right. Energy is anything but mundane for the manufacturers that depend on it every hour of every day,” said Lindsey Short, OMA managing director of energy and advocacy services. “Ohio’s challenge is to support real growth while making sure customers are not forced to pay for unverified demand or costs they did not cause.”

As Ohio confronts rising demand and major energy infrastructure decisions, OMA continues to urge policymakers to protect affordability and reliability by focusing on verified demand, transparent planning and cost causation. 6/22/2026