AEP Ohio is proposing a 50-mile, 765-kilovolt transmission line across Pike, Jackson and Gallia counties to serve a planned data center campus in Piketon. The utility says the project will be paid for by the data center customer and is not expected to affect other Ohio customers’ rates.

That claim deserves close scrutiny. With utilities planning an estimated $1.4 trillion in grid investments nationwide by 2030, every large transmission project should face tough review over who pays, who benefits and whether costs could be shifted onto other customers later.

“The question is simple: will the customer creating the need pay the full cost, or will those costs eventually find their way onto everyone else’s bills?” said Lindsey Short, managing director of energy and advocacy services for the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association. “Manufacturers and families deserve clear answers before more infrastructure costs are locked in.” 4/28/2026