Rick Platt is President and CEO of the Heath-Newark-Licking County Port Authority with over three decades of experience in Ohio industrial development. He is a board member of JobsOhio.
The Ohio Manufacturers' Association 2026 Energy Conference saw record attendance and earned headlines for tackling tough energy issues and preparing industry leaders to understand the coming trends. Canary Media reported on forecasts driving up Ohio power bills, and The Columbus Dispatch reported on the PORTS-Pike project slated to be built in southern Ohio.
One theme ran throughout the day: accountability.
Accountability is done for someone, not to someone. That’s a phrase I’ve always used. It applies to big organizations too, not just people.
Accountability is
a good thing.
Energy costs are being watched by many people these days, especially by manufacturers.
I had three top takeaways beyond the headlines.
First Thought: Keep an eye on electricity forecasts
Keynote speaker Dr. Jon Koomey of Koomey Analytics said people have historically tended to overstate the impact of new technology and cautioned that growth in data computing use doesn't necessarily imply electricity demand growth. Electricity load forecasts have caused an inflated sense of future power demands and have tended to impact current prices. Though data centers have seemingly been made to blame, the real issue may be unaccountable projections.
Panelist Kim Bojko indicated the widely reported 30,000 MW projection from AEP for Central Ohio has now been modified down to 5,700 MW. The more than 80% drop has garnered little attention.
We all need to keep an eye on these numbers and challenge assumptions. Brad Belden of manufacturer Belden Brick said, "Customers writing the checks better be there (at the discussion table) too."
Another Thought: Need to return policy focus to electricity customers
Ohio loses if we lose focus on the manufacturing base of our economy. Industry needs affordable energy to create jobs. Ohio Manufacturers’ Association’s Lindsay Short said, "Reliable and affordable energy is a long strength in Ohio."
The conference included a panel that proves Ohioans are at the forefront of this vital national issue. Two Ohio members of Congress, both House Energy and Commerce Committee members, spoke to the gathering.
Congressman Bob Latta, who chairs the Subcommittee on Energy, said about electricity pricing to the room full of manufacturers, "If [electricity is] not affordable, you can't compete."
Congressman Troy Balderson, who chairs the House Energy Action Team, added, "We need to lower costs for manufacturers who are providing jobs."
It’s clear that a focus on electric customers is crucial.
Third Thought: What does the future hold?
Dr. Koomey said, "No one knows what A.I. electricity needs will truly be. Efficiency and shift in demand are coming."
Koomey wasn’t the only one looking into his crystal ball at the future of energy issues.
A panel talked about microgrids. Microgrid is a new phrase entering the energy sector. It's a phrase used as a counterpart to "behind the meter" and speaks to power generation for a single user. However, it's really an old phrase that means a community providing electricity from a single power source to multiple users. Could microgrids of our past be in our future? Time will tell.
The bottom line is this. Whatever the future may hold, keeping a critical eye on electricity forecasts and focusing policies on electricity customers is the key to accountability for the energy sector.
Rick Platt is President and CEO of the Heath-Newark-Licking County Port Authority with over three decades of experience in Ohio industrial development. He is a board member of JobsOhio.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Accountability needed in ballooning data center energy estimates | Column
