Ohio House Republicans Take on Data Centers After Hearing from Constituents

A new Data Center Study Commission will investigate the impact of energy-hungry data centers on local communities.

Mar. 19, 2026 at 2:40pm

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Facing backlash from constituents over the proliferation of energy-guzzling data centers, Ohio House Republicans are creating a Data Center Study Commission to hear from experts and the public about the effects of these projects on local communities. The move comes after Governor Mike DeWine and Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted promoted data centers as part of a tech boom, but residents have pushed back due to skyrocketing electricity bills.

Why it matters

The data center revolt has grown so large that even conservative lawmakers like Gary Klick are questioning the party line. Residents are angry about the strain data centers place on the power grid, leading to higher electricity costs for households. The legislature is now stepping in to try to get a handle on the issue rather than fighting it out across the state.

The details

The Data Center Study Commission will hold at least four public meetings over six months, with two focused on hearing directly from residents and two bringing in expert testimony. The goal is to better understand how the data center projects affect local communities.

  • The Ohio House is creating the Data Center Study Commission in the coming weeks.
  • The commission will hold public meetings over the next six months.

The players

Gary Klick

An Ohio state representative who is questioning his party's stance on data centers and supporting the creation of the study commission.

Mike DeWine

The Governor of Ohio who, along with Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted, has promoted data centers as part of a tech boom in the state.

Jon Husted

The Lieutenant Governor of Ohio who, along with Governor Mike DeWine, has promoted data centers as part of a tech boom in the state.

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What they’re saying

“There's a lot of angst and rather than trying to fight this out all over the state, it'd be helpful to bring people together, hold hearings and get some facts on the table.”

— Gary Klick, Ohio State Representative

The takeaway

The data center backlash has become so strong that even conservative lawmakers are questioning their party's stance, leading to the creation of a study commission to better understand the impact on local communities. This highlights growing concerns about the strain data centers place on the power grid and electricity costs for residents.