COLUMBUS, OH — Ohio’s electricity grid passed a significant test this week, maintaining reliable service amid extreme cold temperatures and high demand. According to Ryan Augsburger, president of the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA), the state’s power supply largely succeeded in meeting the surge in demand, avoiding blackouts and even supplying surplus power to other regions of the country.
“Ohio’s power supply and electricity system largely passed an important test this week during a time of peak demand—the situation was manageable and there was enough power to go around without blackouts,” Augsburger said. “In fact, our region had surplus power, enough even to send to other parts of the country that needed it. Simply put, Ohio’s free market in electricity worked.”
While the grid performed well overall, Augsburger pointed out that there is still room for improvement, particularly regarding the performance and costs associated with electricity transmission. He called for increased transparency around transmission costs and regulations, emphasizing the need for utilities to justify their high mandatory fees for transmission services.
“Neither the public nor Ohio regulators have hardly any information to justify the utility companies’ skyrocketing mandatory fees on customers for their monopoly transmission activities,” Augsburger explained. “That needs to change to ensure customers are treated with respect and that the utilities’ record of questionable judgment and ethics isn’t continuing.”
Augsburger also expressed optimism about Ohio’s economic growth, noting that future energy demand is expected to increase. Manufacturers in Ohio are excited about the prospects of this growth, with many believing that the state’s existing free market for electricity is well-equipped to meet the challenge.
“The ability to successfully navigate this high-demand episode proves that Ohio’s energy system can continue to support economic development while maintaining reliable service,” Augsburger concluded.
