AEP Asks Ohio for Pay Commitments as Influx of Data Centers Squeezes T&D Infrastructure

May 16, 2024--Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Data centers are power-hungry beasts, and they are descending in force on central Ohio, where new transmission and distribution (T&D) infrastructure is needed to help bring these facilities the power they will require. However, major U.S. utility American Electric Power (NASDAQ:AEP) (AEP) (Columbus, Ohio) is attempting to cushion its investments in T&D infrastructure in the state by proposing the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) require a 10-year commitment for data centers and cryptocurrency miners to pay for a minimum of 90% of the electricity they request, even they don't use it all.