Ohio businesses, families navigate rising utility bills amid technology boom

DUBLIN, Ohio — As technology companies expand across Ohio, rising electricity demand is pushing utility bills higher for families and businesses. Experts and small business owners say it is too soon to know whether the long-term benefits of tech growth will outweigh the immediate costs.

For Enas Lanham, owner of the Dublin Toy Emporium, higher power bills are just one more challenge on top of inflation and tariffs. She said that her utility costs have been steadily climbing.

“It’s been a gradual increase, I’d say, since 2022. And then it just continued to increase over that time,” Lanham said.

To keep her store running, Lanham has relied on creativity, including hosting events and finding new ways to attract customers.

“Constantly reevaluating ways to either generate more revenue or creative ways to get people in. So I look at it more as just, you know, regular problem solving,” she said.

Her experience reflects a broader trend across the state. In some areas, transmission costs have risen by more than 350% over the past decade, according to energy leaders. The state’s power grid, which is more than a century old, is struggling to keep up as artificial intelligence and data centers drive up demand.

“Demand is going up. Supply is going down, which is creating elevated prices. Additionally, in June, we’re seeing a large jump in what we call capacity. And that is a charge that all ratepayers pay,” said Susanne Buckley, partner at Scioto Energy.

Still, some energy experts remain optimistic.

“I see it as a positive story. Certainly. We need to be concerned about rising electricity prices and bring those back in control. You can do that with competition and innovation,” said John Seryak, managing partner at Runner Stone.

At the Ohio Manufacturers’ Energy Conference, experts cautioned that it is still too early to say if new technology investments will create enough jobs or growth to offset higher utility bills. The projects remain in their early phases, and the full impact could take years to measure.

In the meantime, experts recommend several steps for consumers: shop for competitive energy suppliers, stay on top of energy plans and rates, track usage during peak hours, and use energy-saving measures such as adjusting thermostats or switching to efficient lighting.

For Lanham, the issue comes down to fairness.

“But these big businesses, they’re the ones that really have the funds to manage that. So I think a lot of it is just looking at it from a monetary system and a fairness in terms of being able to have the average American be able to support their families, support their business and to succeed,” she said.

Families and small business owners across Ohio are bracing for what comes next, hoping today’s challenges lead to tomorrow’s opportunities.