Ranking Member Sykes Presses for Consumer Protections as Data Centers Expand Across Ohio
WASHINGTON, D.C. – At a House Science Committee hearing on the expansion of data center infrastructure to support artificial intelligence, U.S. Representative Emilia Sykes (OH-13) raised concerns about the impact these facilities can have on electricity costs, the environment, and local communities, particularly across Ohio’s 13th Congressional District.
Ohio is home to 217 data centers, the fifth most of any state, including multiple facilities in Stark and Summit counties. Several large-scale data centers operating or under construction in Rep. Sykes’ district are expected to consume electricity equivalent to tens of thousands of homes, which raises rising utility costs for local residents.
Rep. Sykes, Ranking Member of the Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, participated in the hearing titled “Powering America’s AI Future: Assessing Policy Options To Increase Data Center Infrastructure.”
“We need to put strong guardrails in place so that data centers support our communities rather than the other way around,” said Rep. Sykes. “Ohioans should not pay higher electricity bills so billionaires in Silicon Valley can see higher profits, and we must harness this growth in a way that creates jobs without increasing costs for working families.”
During the hearing, Rep. Sykes emphasized that while data centers can bring investment and job opportunities, Congress must ensure appropriate safeguards are in place so communities are protected and operators are held accountable as the industry continues to grow.