Writing in the Akron Beacon Journal, Canton manufacturer Bradley H. Belden (right), president and COO of The Belden Brick Company, chair of the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) Energy Committee and a member of the OMA Board of Directors, puts policymakers on notice, arguing that Ohio’s rising electric bills are being driven by incentives baked into the system, not unavoidable market forces. Drawing on generations of manufacturing in Ohio, Belden writes that manufacturers plan with discipline because jobs, capital and communities are on the line, while monopoly utilities continue earning guaranteed returns tied to expanding forecasts. He warns that speculative demand projections are being treated as confirmed growth, allowing billions in infrastructure spending to move forward while captive customers absorb the risk and utilities keep the upside. Belden calls on lawmakers, regulators and PJM to demand transparency, independent review and real accountability before long-term investments are approved, warning that reliability cannot become a blank check that locks Ohio families and manufacturers into decades of higher electricity costs driven by paper forecasts. 2/18/2026