New data-center tax-exemption agreements may be entered into only before October 1, 2027, limiting access to the exemption after that date. before October 1, 2027

To qualify as an eligible computer data center, the project generally must involve at least $100 million in capital investment over three consecutive calendar years, or over four or six years for projects beginning in 2014 or 2013, respectively. at least one hundred million dollars

The data center must pay at least $1.5 million in annual employee compensation subject to Ohio withholding for each agreement year beginning on or after the first day of the 25th month after the agreement is entered. at least one million five hundred thousand dollars

The tax-credit authority may approve an exemption only if it finds that the project will increase payroll and withholding, the applicant is economically sound, the applicant can complete the project, the applicant can maintain operations for the agreement term, and the exemption is a major factor in the project decision. if the authority determines all of the following

An exemption agreement must require the data center to remain eligible and the applicant to maintain operations throughout the agreement term. A shutdown does not violate the requirement if operations resume within 18 months, but exempt equipment cannot be claimed for purchases made during the shutdown. resumes those operations within eighteen months

Each taxpayer covered by an agreement must annually report employment, tax withholding, capital investment, and other information required by the development director, and the director must verify compliance and issue a certificate. annually report to the director of development

Covered taxpayers may not relocate a substantial number of jobs from elsewhere in Ohio to the project site unless the development director determines that the affected county, township, or municipality was notified. Job movement between political subdivisions generally counts as relocation, subject to exceptions for movement confined to the site or replacement positions. may not relocate a substantial number of employment positions

If a taxpayer fails to satisfy an agreement condition, the tax-credit authority may reduce the exemption percentage or shorten the exemption term, with the reduction taking effect in the current calendar year. may amend the agreement to reduce the percentage of the exemption or term

If the data center no longer meets the operating requirement, the authority may terminate the agreement and require taxpayers to repay all or part of the taxes previously avoided through the exemption. terminate the agreement and require each such taxpayer to pay

The development director may charge exemption recipients fees to cover administrative costs. charged fees to cover administrative costs

The data-center equipment exemption does not cover contractor tools and equipment consumed rather than incorporated into the facility, such as hammers, bulldozers, cranes without operators, job trailers, portable toilets, generators, scaffolding, and vehicles. does not include tools and equipment that is considered to be consumed by the contractor

The equipment exemption does not cover property unrelated to the computer-data-center business, including exercise equipment, accounting, payroll, or human-resources software, general office supplies, office furniture, or janitorial supplies and equipment. does not include tangible personal property not part of the computer data center business

Allows the tax credit authority to grant a complete or partial sales and use tax exemption for computer data center equipment used at an eligible data center, including taxes on delivery, installation, and repair charges.

Permits an applicant to seek an exemption agreement covering equipment purchased by the applicant or by other taxpayers operating data center businesses at the same project site.

Allows an exemption agreement to specify the exemption percentage, its duration, and the date on which the exemption begins; the exemption may cover up to 100 percent of otherwise applicable taxes.

Provides a direct payment permit for each taxpayer covered by an agreement, allowing the taxpayer to pay applicable sales and use taxes directly to the tax commissioner and calculate the exemption through required returns.

Allows a taxpayer to join an existing data center exemption agreement and receive all benefits while assuming the agreement's obligations; each participating taxpayer may receive its own direct payment permit.

Permits an eligible data center to remain compliant if operations temporarily cease and resume within eighteen months, although no exemption may be claimed for equipment purchased during the shutdown.

Protects financial statements and other information submitted for the exemption from being public records, subject to specified uses by state officials for reports, tax administration, or court proceedings.

Requires annual review of each taxpayer's reported employment, withholding, capital investment, and other information, followed by a certificate verifying compliance and continued eligibility for the exemption.

To qualify for the exemption, a data center project beginning in 2015 or later must make at least $100 million in capital investment at the site within three consecutive calendar years; projects beginning in 2013 or 2014 have six- or four-year periods, respectively. It must also pay at least $1.5 million in annual compensation subject to Ohio withholding for each agreement year beginning after month 24. These are conditions for the tax exemption, not general construction limits. Investment and compensation thresholds

The Tax Credit Authority may approve an exemption only after reviewing the project’s economic impact and determining that it will increase payroll and withholding, the applicant is financially sound and able to complete the project, it can maintain operations at the site, and the exemption is a major factor in its decision. Required authority determinations

An exemption agreement requires the center to remain eligible and maintain operations during the agreement. If operations cease, the applicant may resume within 18 months without violating that requirement, but cannot claim the exemption on equipment purchased during the downtime. Operations and the 18-month exception

A taxpayer covered by an agreement may not relocate a substantial number of jobs from elsewhere in Ohio to the project site unless the director determines the relevant local legislative authority was notified. A move is not treated as a relocation if the original position is replaced by another position. Job-relocation condition

Taxpayers receiving the exemption must annually report employment, withholding, capital investment, and other required information; the director reviews the reports and issues a verification certificate. Taxpayers must also file specified tax returns and include the certificate to claim the exemption, subject to a deadline to provide a missing certificate. Annual reporting and verification

If an agreement’s conditions are not met, the Tax Credit Authority may reduce the exemption’s percentage or term. If a center no longer meets the operating requirement, the authority may terminate the agreement and require repayment of all or part of previously exempted taxes; it must consider specified factors, including market conditions and the taxpayer’s responsibility. Possible reductions and repayment

Rules may require exemption recipients to pay fees to cover administrative costs. Permitted administrative fees

The Tax Credit Authority may grant a partial or complete sales-and-use-tax exemption for data-center equipment at an eligible center, including qualifying cooling and electrical equipment and construction materials; the exemption can also cover delivery, installation, and repair charges, and may last for a term set by the Authority. Eligibility generally requires at least $100 million in project investment over three consecutive calendar years for projects beginning in 2015 or later, plus at least $1.5 million in annual employee compensation subject to Ohio withholding beginning in the 25th month of the agreement. The Authority must also find, among other conditions, that the project increases payroll and withholding, the applicant can complete it and maintain operations, and the exemption is a major factor in the project decision. The Authority may completely or partially exempt qualifying equipment.

An operator can temporarily cease operations at an eligible center and resume within 18 months without violating the agreement’s continued-operations requirement; however, it cannot claim the exemption for equipment purchases made while operations are suspended. Resumes those operations within eighteen months.

The tax credit authority may enter into a new agreement granting a data-center equipment sales and use tax exemption only before October 1, 2027; after that date, new exemptions cannot be granted, increasing the tax cost of qualifying equipment.

To qualify for the exemption before the deadline, a data center generally must involve at least $100 million in capital investment over three consecutive calendar years for projects beginning in or after 2015.

To qualify and remain eligible, data-center operators must collectively pay at least $1.5 million in annually taxable employee compensation beginning with the year that starts on or after the 25th month after the exemption agreement is executed.

An exemption agreement must require the data center to remain eligible and maintain operations throughout the agreement term. A temporary shutdown is permitted only if operations resume within 18 months; equipment purchased during the shutdown cannot receive the exemption.

Businesses receiving an exemption must submit annual employment, tax-withholding, capital-investment, and other reports, undergo annual verification by the development director, and provide verification certificates with their tax returns.

If an operator fails to satisfy the agreement, the tax credit authority may reduce the exemption percentage or term, and if the center no longer remains eligible, the authority may terminate the agreement and require repayment of some or all previously exempted taxes.

The tax credit authority may grant a complete or partial exemption from Ohio sales and use taxes for computer data center equipment used at an eligible data center, including charges for delivery, installation, and repair. The authority may enter new agreements only before October 1, 2027.

The exempt equipment may include cooling systems; equipment used to generate, transform, transmit, distribute, or manage electricity needed for the data center; and building and construction materials sold to contractors for incorporation into the data center.

An eligible data center generally must involve at least $100 million in qualifying capital investment over the applicable investment period and at least $1.5 million in annual employee compensation subject to Ohio income-tax withholding beginning no later than the 25th month after the agreement is entered.

The exemption agreement may cover equipment purchased by the applicant or by other taxpayers operating a data center business at the same project site, allowing multiple operators to benefit from one agreement.

The exemption may last for a term set by the tax credit authority and may cover up to 100 percent of the otherwise-owed sales and use taxes on qualifying equipment.

Each taxpayer covered by an exemption agreement must receive a direct payment permit allowing it to pay applicable sales and use taxes directly to the tax commissioner and claim the agreed exemption through its tax returns.

A data center operator may stop operations temporarily without violating the agreement if it resumes operations within 18 months. It cannot claim the exemption for equipment purchased during the shutdown period.

A taxpayer may join an existing data center exemption agreement and receive all of its benefits while assuming all obligations and requirements under the agreement.

Financial statements and other information submitted for a data center exemption are not public records under Ohio's public-records law, subject to limited use by state officials for reports, tax administration, or court proceedings.

Schedule DCT applies to new data-center loads or expansions exceeding 25,000 kW in aggregate. Loads of affiliated or commonly owned companies and multiple facilities at one location are aggregated. Existing loads with a pre-effective-date service agreement are generally grandfathered, but an expansion exceeding 25,000 kW above contracted capacity triggers the tariff; if the added load cannot be separately metered, the existing load also loses its exemption.

Until Schedule DCT takes effect, AEP Ohio’s moratorium keeps new data-center service requests in the queue. When the tariff takes effect, AEP Ohio must end the moratorium and process the queued requests.

Data-center service requests must be submitted through the required application process. To request a load study, a customer must control the property and identify the site, load ramp, and final load. Study fees are $10,000 for requests above 25,000 kW and below 50,000 kW, $50,000 for 50,000 to below 100,000 kW, and $100,000 for 100,000 kW or more; payment is due within 45 days or the request loses its queue position.

AEP Ohio may group queued customers into tranches tied to expected regional transmission upgrades. Studies are to be completed within 45 days, or 60 days when upgrades are needed, as a reasonable-efforts target. Service cannot begin until the necessary infrastructure and capacity are available.

After receiving the proposed Letter of Agreement and Electric Service Agreement, a customer has 60 days to sign them. The Letter of Agreement requires reimbursement of 100% of AEP Ohio’s buildout costs if the customer cancels or delays the project by more than 12 months before its target energization date.

A covered customer must accept a contract term of at least the load-ramp period, which may not exceed four years, plus eight years. During the initial term, minimum charges remain payable even if the customer curtails, reduces, suspends, or terminates service. Early exit is available only after the fifth year following the ramp and requires payment equal to 36 months of minimum charges; after the initial term, termination or capacity changes generally require three years’ notice.

During the ramp, contract capacity must be at least 50%, 65%, 80%, and 90% of full contract capacity in years one through four, respectively; monthly billing demand must be at least 85% of ramp-period contract capacity. After the ramp, minimum monthly billing demand is subject to the tariff’s prior-demand and contract-capacity formulas, including an 85% prior-peak floor and a cap of 85% of total contract capacity.

Customers that do not meet the specified credit-rating and liquidity tests must provide a qualifying guarantee, letter of credit, or cash collateral equal to 50% of minimum charges for the full contract term. The tariff provides for reductions based on years of energized service with on-time payments.

A customer must designate a specific project site and own or have the exclusive right to use the land. Before energization, it must sign the required agreement for network or customer-specific investment, or a contribution-in-aid-of-construction agreement where applicable.

At a site with data-center and non-data-center load, Schedule DCT generally applies to all distribution service unless the loads can be separately metered into separate accounts. The customer pays the metering and other separation costs.

Any load addition exceeding 100 kW requires a new contract, and AEP Ohio is not required to supply capacity beyond contract capacity without mutual agreement.

For non-residential line extensions, the customer pays 40% of eligible extension costs, incremental premium-service costs before construction, and costs for land clearance, trenching, and backfilling on its property.

The tariff includes a $20,000 supplemental charge for transmission-voltage service. It does not apply to existing load.

A customer choosing or returning to the Company’s standard-service-offer supply must give at least 180 days’ advance written notice and pay the cost of separate procurement. If notice is not given and AEP Ohio must serve the load, the customer bears the cost of interim spot-market purchases and related administrative costs.

New loads under Schedule DCT cannot participate in AEP Ohio’s 1CP or 6CP Basic Transmission Cost Rider programs or successor programs, subject to stated grandfathering for existing participants.

Before connecting a power source other than the contracted delivery point, a customer must enter an interconnection agreement. If behind-the-meter generation is used to offset contract capacity, the customer must maintain equipment that can instantly curtail load by at least the generation output and meet applicable technical requirements.

Customers must attest that they will follow applicable technical operating requirements, including restrictions on load cycling that could create unacceptable system-frequency conditions. AEP Ohio may disconnect service for activity outside those requirements.

With Commission approval, AEP Ohio may suspend service if a customer’s usage exceeds contract capacity by more than 1,000 kW.

A customer seeking to reduce contract capacity may request reassignment of up to 25% to another Schedule DCT customer. Reassignment is subject to electrical feasibility, costs, collateral requirements, and protections against shifting stranded costs to other ratepayers.

Before receiving service, a mobile data center must provide a sworn statement that it and its parent and affiliates are not affiliated with or acting for a foreign adversary. AEP Ohio may disconnect it if the company has a good-faith belief the statement is false.

New or expanded data-center load at or below 25 MW in the aggregate is outside Schedule DCT; affiliated companies and facilities are aggregated when calculating the threshold.

A data center with an LOA or ESA in place before Schedule DCT takes effect is grandfathered and may expand up to 25 MW above its existing contracted capacity without moving to the tariff. Larger expansions are subject to the tariff; separate metering may preserve grandfathering if technically feasible, with metering costs borne by the customer.

New tariff customers may ramp up over as many as four years, with contract-capacity levels of 50%, 65%, 80%, and 90% in years one through four. Minimum billing demand is capped at 85% of total contract capacity.

If required infrastructure is not ready by the estimated in-service date, the customer may petition the Commission to adjust the contract term; an adjustment is not automatic.

A qualifying new-load customer that meets the specified credit-rating and liquidity tests need not provide tariff collateral. Otherwise, collateral is reduced by one year’s minimum charges for each year the customer is energized and pays on time.

A customer may satisfy collateral requirements through its financial sponsor if the sponsor co-signs the contract with AEP Ohio.

For non-residential line extensions, AEP Ohio pays 60% of the extension cost and the customer pays 40%, plus incremental premium-service costs.

Customers that control the site and provide specified location and load details may request a load study. AEP Ohio must make reasonable efforts to complete it within 45 days, or 60 days if regional upgrades are needed; fees range from $10,000 to $100,000, and queue participation requires timely payment and other stated steps.

AEP Ohio must include Schedule DCT customer loads in its PJM forecast; necessary transmission infrastructure is planned through PJM. For queued customers needing regional upgrades, AEP Ohio groups customers into tranches based on expected upgrade capacity. Service begins when the required infrastructure is in place and capacity is available.

When Schedule DCT takes effect, AEP Ohio must end the temporary data-center service moratorium and process queued service requests; processing does not guarantee service.

At sites with both data-center and non-data-center load, customers may request separate metering and accounts if technically feasible, but must pay the separation costs.

Customers may use behind-the-meter generation for netting or to offset contract capacity if equipment can instantaneously curtail load by at least the generation output and meets applicable technical requirements. Non-parallel emergency or backup generation is exempt from the additional customer-owned-generation requirements.

After completing the fifth contract year following the load-ramp period, a customer may terminate during the initial term by paying an exit fee equal to 36 months of minimum charges after notice.

A customer reducing contract capacity may request reassignment of up to 25% of that capacity to another Schedule DCT customer to reduce some or all of the associated exit fee. The transfer is subject to feasibility, receiving-customer agreement and collateral requirements, incremental costs, and protections against stranded costs.

AEP Ohio must offer Schedule GS customers with contract demand above 25 MW a one-time opportunity to reduce contract capacity if the reduction does not strand assets and the customer agrees not to seek more capacity at that location for three years, absent changed circumstances.

For usage more than 1,000 kW above contract capacity, AEP Ohio may suspend Schedule DCT service only with Commission approval; other tariff and rule-based disconnection or curtailment rights remain.

Data-center customers may choose competitive generation service from a retail supplier or Standard Offer Service. Switching or returning to Standard Offer Service requires 180 days’ written notice and a separate procurement at the customer’s expense.

Existing-load customers already participating in the 1CP or 6CP transmission-cost pilot may remain in it through the end of ESP V; new loads and other data centers may not join.

New data-center sales and use tax exemption agreements may be entered into only before October 1, 2026; after that date, new exemptions cannot be granted.

To qualify for an exemption before the cutoff, a data center must be an eligible computer data center, including at least $100 million in capital investment during the applicable investment period and at least $1.5 million in annual employee compensation subject to Ohio withholding beginning in the 25th month after the agreement is entered.

During the exemption agreement, the data center must remain eligible and maintain operations. Operations may cease temporarily only if they resume within 18 months; no exemption may be claimed during the interruption, and noncompliance may lead to a reduced exemption, termination of the agreement, and repayment of previously exempted taxes.

Participating taxpayers must annually report employment, tax-withholding, capital-investment, and other information, obtain annual verification from the director of development, and comply with the agreement's conditions to continue receiving the exemption.

The tax credit authority may grant a complete or partial sales and use tax exemption for computer data center equipment used at an eligible data center, including related delivery, installation, and repair charges. The exemption may cover up to 100% of the otherwise applicable taxes. Eligibility generally requires at least $100 million in capital investment and at least $1.5 million in annual employee compensation subject to Ohio withholding, with additional agreement conditions. complete or partial exemption

A data center project may apply for a tax-exemption agreement covering equipment purchased by the applicant or by other taxpayers operating data center businesses at the project site. The tax credit authority must consider state and local economic impacts and may approve the agreement only before October 1, 2026, subject to findings that the project increases payroll, the applicant is financially capable, will maintain operations, and considers the exemption a major factor in proceeding. before October 1, 2026

Each taxpayer covered by an agreement receives a direct payment permit, allowing it to pay sales and use taxes directly to the tax commissioner and claim the agreed exemption for qualifying data center equipment. The taxpayer must file returns identifying its purchases, the otherwise applicable tax, the exemption percentage, and the resulting tax due, and must generally include the development director's annual verification certificate. direct payment permit

A taxpayer may join an existing data center tax-exemption agreement and receive all of its benefits while assuming all of its obligations and statutory requirements. When an agreement has multiple taxpayers, each participating taxpayer is also entitled to its own direct payment permit. made a party to an existing agreement

An applicant does not violate the agreement's operations-maintenance requirement if it temporarily stops operating at the eligible data center and resumes operations within 18 months. During the interruption, however, the applicant and other site taxpayers may not claim the agreement's exemption for equipment purchases made while operations are discontinued. resumes those operations within eighteen months

Beginning on the section’s effective date, a township, municipal corporation, or county may not authorize any local tax incentive for a data center. Any incentive authorized in violation is void. The prohibition covers specified economic-development and property-tax exemption programs, as well as any other Revised Code provision allowing a political subdivision to exempt property from taxation. No political subdivision shall authorize a local tax incentive for a data center.

Beginning on the section’s effective date, the tax commissioner and county auditors may not approve an application for a data-center property-tax exemption under Revised Code section 5715.27. Any exemption approved in violation is void. Neither the tax commissioner nor any county auditor shall approve an application for tax exemption for a data center.

Data center owners or operators must pay all direct and indirect water and sewer infrastructure costs attributable to establishing and operating the data center; those costs cannot be shifted to other ratepayers. all infrastructure costs incurred by the water and sewer system

Before withdrawing any waters of the state that results in any consumptive use, a data center owner or operator must obtain a data center consumptive-use permit from the chief of the Division of Water Resources. no person shall allow a data center

The chief may hold a public hearing on a data center consumptive-use permit application, and permit applicants must provide information required by statute and rules. The chief may hold public hearings upon any application

A permit cannot be issued for a data center proposing a new or increased consumptive use averaging more than five million gallons per day during any thirty-day period, and data centers are prohibited from making such a withdrawal. more than an average of five million gallons of water per day in any thirty-day period

A data center consumptive-use permit may be transferred only under rules adopted by the chief and only if the quantity withdrawn is not increased and the purpose of the withdrawal is not changed. the quantity of water withdrawn not be increased

The chief must revoke a permit without a prior hearing if the data center withdraws more water than stated in its permit application. shall revoke a permit

The chief may suspend a permit if continued withdrawal would endanger public health, safety, or welfare; the permittee must receive an opportunity to be heard within five days after the suspension. may suspend a permit

Permit holders must submit an annual report to the chief containing information required by rule. Each permittee shall submit to the chief an annual report

Violating the data center consumptive-use permit requirement, violating the five-million-gallon-per-day limit, or violating permit terms is a fourth-degree misdemeanor, with fines deposited into the water management fund. is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree

Any six or more Ohio residents may petition the chief to investigate an alleged violation of a data center's permit, and the chief must determine within sixty days whether grounds exist for suspension or revocation. within sixty days

A data center consumptive-use permit may be transferred, provided the transfer does not increase the quantity of water withdrawn or change the purpose of the withdrawal.

If the chief denies or requires modifications to a permit application, the applicant is entitled to a hearing under Chapter 119 of the Revised Code if the applicant submits a written request within thirty days after notice is mailed or otherwise provided.

An electric distribution utility may not provide service to or invest in infrastructure for a data center customer that has not satisfied the bill’s requirements for binding commitments, minimum billing demand, and financial assurance. may not provide electric service or make infrastructure investments

Before receiving electric service, a data center must enter into a binding utility commitment that includes additional minimum demand or usage commitments, long-term service agreements, exit fees or liquidated damages, and collateral, guarantees, or other financial assets; the agreement requires Public Utilities Commission approval. shall include the following

A data center customer must obtain Commission-approved agreement terms establishing a minimum billing demand sufficient to support infrastructure planning and cost recovery. Once the data center reaches full commercial capacity, the minimum billing demand must be at least 85% of contracted capacity, and the minimum contract term must be at least 12 years, including any approved load-ramp period of up to four years. not less than eighty-five per cent of contracted capacity

Before construction begins on transmission or distribution facilities dedicated wholly or partly to a data center customer, the Commission must require financial assurance protecting other customer classes against costs from premature exit, downsizing, default, disconnection, or unauthorized reductions in service. The assurance must cover the unrecovered net book value of dedicated facilities, minimum-billing exposure, and applicable exit fees. Prior to commencing construction

Required financial assurance must be reviewed and adjusted by the electric distribution utility at least every two years to reflect remaining unrecovered investment and the risk of exit, downsizing, or cessation of operations. reviewed and adjusted at least biennially

The bill’s requirements for commitments, minimum billing, and financial assurance are minimum requirements, so the Public Utilities Commission may impose more stringent requirements on data center customers. may impose more stringent requirements

Within six months after the section’s effective date, the Public Utilities Commission must establish statewide standards governing load-study deposits, including nonrefundable portions; queue-position forfeitures for missed milestones; first-come-first-served or tranche-based processing; and aggregation of affiliated projects for queue priority. Not later than six months after the effective date

An electric distribution utility may not shift distribution, transmission, or generation costs, or related financial or operational risks caused by a data center customer, to other customer classes unless the Commission determines that the recovery is just and reasonable. Agreements and related cost-recovery mechanisms also require a finding that they will not increase rates for existing customers, with the utility bearing the burden of proof. shall not recover any distribution, transmission, or generation costs

Utilities may establish minimum-billing agreements with data center customers that include load-ramp periods and additional financial assistance, supporting staged development and potentially helping customers manage the start-up period. The agreement requires commission approval, and once at full commercial capacity the customer must generally be billed for at least 85% of contracted capacity under a contract lasting at least 12 years, including any load ramp of up to four years.

The required customer agreements may include long-term service agreements, minimum usage commitments, and utility-determined terms for reliability and infrastructure planning, providing a framework for securing and maintaining electric service. The agreements are subject to Public Utilities Commission approval.

The Public Utilities Commission must establish uniform statewide standards for data-center interconnection and project queues, including load-study deposits, milestone-related queue forfeitures, first-come-first-served or tranche-based processing, and aggregation of affiliated projects for queue priority. These standards create a statewide process for seeking electric service and infrastructure.

The bill expressly contemplates construction of transmission or distribution facilities dedicated in whole or in part to a data center customer, provided the customer supplies financial assurance covering specified risks. This creates a statutory framework for dedicated utility infrastructure supporting data-center service.

A citizen vote is required before any new or expanded data center, including an associated power-generating facility, can be approved in a city, village, or township within five miles of the project perimeter. A simple majority is required, and the vote must occur before any permit, zoning approval, or development and supply agreement; approvals issued without the vote are void. (citizen vote is required)

The election must be held at the next special or general election occurring at least ninety days after certification. If voters reject the project, the owner may not resubmit it for two years. (at least ninety days)

A data center that has permits but has not begun active construction when the act takes effect must cease construction until it receives voter approval. The exception is for projects already under active construction and holding all required permits before the effective date. (already under active construction)

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency director must adopt data-center air-emission and wastewater-discharge standards within one year, and may not issue operating, discharge, or emissions permits—or grant waivers or exemptions—to facilities that do not meet those standards. (not later than one year)

Beginning eighteen months after the effective date, existing data centers must use an attached wastewater-treatment facility before discharging wastewater and must use best available control technology to remove metals and organics, including PFAS. (Beginning eighteen months)

Beginning eighteen months after the effective date, permits for existing data centers or associated power-generating facilities using open-loop systems must be revoked if the facility is not complying with the bill's treatment, emissions, wastewater, or permit requirements. (shall revoke)

Existing data centers using open-loop systems must complete an independent air-quality and public-health assessment within ninety days and annually thereafter, undergo independent biologic testing of cooling-tower emissions twice each year, and pay all assessment and testing costs. (within ninety days)

Existing associated power-generating facilities using open-loop systems must install and use attached air-cleaning and emissions-control equipment within eighteen months after the effective date. (install and utilize attached air cleaning)

A voter-approved new or expanded data center and its associated power-generating facility must use closed-loop systems, operate with an attached wastewater-treatment facility, comply with the bill's testing and control requirements, and obtain the required permits before operating. (utilizes a closed loop system)

Voter-approved projects must submit wastewater-discharge plans, conduct post-construction wastewater testing before receiving an NPDES permit and beginning full operations, and have required test results authenticated by the data center's chief executive officer. False certification of pilot-scale results may result in criminal prosecution. (before full operations commence)

Data center owners must disclose all chemicals, cooling agents, and wastewater-treatment substances and their concentrations to the environmental protection director and the local government, with public website disclosure before operations and before changes are implemented. (shall disclose all chemicals)

Before wastewater discharge or recycling, an independent third-party water-testing company selected and supervised by the environmental protection director must conduct testing. Owners must submit the results, pay all testing and monitoring costs, install chemical-additive meters, and conduct wastewater and air-emissions sampling weekly unless they choose continuous sampling. (independent third-party water testing company)

If a data center or associated power-generating facility reduces local water pressure or supply within five miles, the owner must pay all corrective, infrastructure, temporary-supply, aquifer-impact, and reimbursement costs, plus a $5,000-per-day fine until the problem is resolved. (full financial responsibility)

For wastewater or emissions violations, the owner must correct the violation and report it within ten business days and pay at least $10,000 per day. If noncompliance continues after ten days, the fine increases to $25,000 per day, and permits may be revoked after an additional thirty-day notice period. (ten business days)

Voter-approved data centers, their associated power-generating facilities, and expanded portions of expanded data centers must generate 100 percent of their electricity through on-site or off-grid facilities, operate independently of the public grid, and impose no power-generation or grid-infrastructure costs on Ohio ratepayers. (one hundred per cent of their own electricity)

Political subdivisions may not authorize local tax incentives for data centers or associated power-generating facilities after the effective date, and the tax commissioner and county auditors may not approve related property-tax exemption applications. (No political subdivision shall authorize a local tax incentive)

Applicants for state or local economic-development assistance must disclose outstanding liabilities and authorize financial-record inspection; knowingly false statements or omissions make the applicant ineligible for the assistance and require repayment of money received. (ineligible for the assistance applied for)

All development and supply agreements related to data centers or associated power-generating facilities must be publicly disclosed, and agreements already in effect before the act's passage become void after passage. (Full public disclosure)

New or expanded data centers already under active construction and holding all required permits before the act’s effective date are exempt from the citizen-vote requirement.

For a new or expanded data center that had all required permits before the act’s effective date but had not begun active construction, previously issued environmental permits remain valid if voters approve the project and it complies with applicable federal and state wastewater, air-emissions, and permit requirements.

For a data center used primarily or exclusively for electronic information services with monthly maximum demand greater than 25,000 kWh—including portable or distributable facilities—the applicant must obtain commission interconnection approval before formally applying to an interconnection provider. Informal pre-application activities remain allowed. Data-center threshold and scope Prior approval and pre-application exception

Each application triggers a required independent forecast of grid impacts, including rates, reliability, transmission constraints, and projected demand versus capacity. The forecast is due within 270 days after the forecaster is selected, with a possible 90-day extension. Required impact forecast Forecast deadline and extension

The applicant must pay the full cost of the impact forecast before the commission may approve interconnection; the commission may also charge an application fee as needed to carry out the law. Applicant responsibility for forecast costs Possible application fee

Within 60 days after receiving the forecast, the commission must decide whether to approve, deny, or conditionally approve the application. Approval depends on the public interest, grid reliability, and whether residential rates would materially increase; denial bars the applicant from seeking interconnection with a provider. Commission decision and denial authority

After conditional approval, the applicant and provider cannot enter into or ratify an interconnection agreement until the commission reviews and approves the proposed agreement. If it is rejected, they must develop revised terms; the applicant may resubmit modified agreements until withdrawing or obtaining approval. Agreement review before entry Resubmission process

The commission cannot approve an interconnection agreement unless the data-center owner must bear the entire cost of infrastructure changes needed to connect the facility or ensure grid reliability after connection. Owner responsibility for infrastructure costs

The bill would allow informal pre-application interconnection activities, so a project could explore connection requirements before submitting a formal application. Informal, preapplication activities

If the commission finds the application is in the public interest and connection will not materially harm grid reliability or increase residential rates, it would approve the application, allowing the applicant to seek interconnection. Approve the application for interconnection

Even when concerns about public interest, reliability, or residential rates prevent unconditional approval, the commission could conditionally approve the application, allowing the applicant to pursue an interconnection agreement that addresses the identified concerns. Make a conditional approval

If a proposed agreement is rejected, the applicant could submit a modified agreement and reapply repeatedly until withdrawing or receiving approval. The applicant may submit a modified agreement