Coverage from Construction Review Online highlights the scale of transmission expansion now moving forward in central Ohio after PJM approved new 765-kilovolt backbone lines designed to handle rising electricity demand. Projects of this size are built to move massive amounts of power across regions, underscoring how future load forecasts are already translating into long-term infrastructure commitments. The approval comes as manufacturers continue warning that early-stage demand assumptions are being treated as guaranteed growth, potentially locking customers into decades of higher costs before projects are fully realized. Steel in the ground and towers on the skyline show how quickly projections can turn into permanent infrastructure, raising the stakes for regulators to ensure that planning decisions are driven by verified demand rather than expectations that exist primarily on paper.

“Once these projects move forward, customers are paying for decisions that cannot be undone,” said Lindsey Short, managing director of energy and advocacy services for the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association. 2/18/2026