The Ohio Manufacturers’ Association has spent months challenging the assumptions behind massive electricity demand forecasts and the billions of dollars in customer costs that can follow. Now that scrutiny is getting national attention, PJM is attacking the messenger.

In a new Canary Media report on questionable data center forecasts and Ohio power bills, PJM Executive Vice President Asim Haque called OMA’s position “naive and irresponsible.”

“If PJM is confident in these forecasts, then show the work,” said Lindsey Short, OMA managing director of advocacy and energy services. “Show us which projects are actually committed, when they are expected to come online and what happens to customers if those projections miss. Billions of dollars are on the line. Customers should not be forced to finance PJM’s assumptions.”

Haque’s choice of words is especially rich in Ohio. As former PUCO chair, he was involved in approving a FirstEnergy charge that ultimately cost customers roughly $456 million before the Ohio Supreme Court struck it down. In subsequently disclosed texts, Haque wrote that he knew the charge would “likely be found illegal” and that FirstEnergy would keep the money because it could not be refunded. Haque later said he was joking.

Forecast assumptions are already influencing capacity requirements, transmission spending and customer bills before much of the projected demand has materialized.

Calling OMA naive does not answer the questions. PJM still has to show its work. 9/9/2026