Digital Power Network Urges PUCO to Reject AEP Ohio’s Discriminatory, Anti-Innovation Tariff
AEP’s Proposal Targets Bitcoin Miners and Data Infrastructure Developers with Arbitrary Charges and No Technical Justification
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Digital Power Network (DPN), representing over 50% of the U.S. Bitcoin hash rate and the forefront of domestic digital infrastructure development, strongly opposes AEP Ohio’s proposed Data Center Tariff (Schedule DCT), as submitted under the October 23, 2024, Stipulation.
This proposal is an unprecedented attempt to impose discriminatory, industry-specific transmission charges on digital asset companies, regardless of whether they are contributing to transmission constraints.
“This tariff isn’t based on load. It’s not based on location. It’s based on who you are,” said Hailey Miller, Director of Government Relations & Public Policy at the Digital Power Network. “That’s not energy policy. That’s economic sabotage.”
Schedule DCT singles out data centers, including Bitcoin miners and mobile computing facilities, for punitive cost treatment without requiring any demonstration that the customer is driving transmission needs. This is in stark contrast to standard regulatory practice, where grid costs are allocated based on measurable, engineering-based criteria such as peak load contribution, locational marginal pricing zones, or congestion impacts.
Why This Matters:
The tariff is arbitrary and unenforceable: It applies solely based on business model, not system impact or usage profile.
It deters long-term investment in Ohio’s digital economy: Bitcoin miners and data infrastructure developers are energy-aligned partners, not liabilities, and are increasingly integrating with flexible demand programs and on-site generation.
It breaks from national regulatory precedent: No other jurisdiction in the United States applies a transmission tariff solely to a single industry class.
It undermines load transparency: Lumping diverse, modular digital loads under a catch-all tariff label creates regulatory blind spots and planning inefficiencies.
“This tariff tells the world that Ohio is closed for innovation,” said Miller. “It punishes the companies building America’s next-generation computing infrastructure, the ones helping stabilize grids, anchor renewables, and create jobs in rural communities.”
DPN urges the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio to reject Schedule DCT outright and adopt a modernized, capacity-based framework that reflects actual system planning needs, not outdated stereotypes about emerging industries.
Discriminatory tariffs don’t solve grid challenges. They create them.
About The Digital Power Network
The Digital Power Network (DPN) represents the largest coalition of Bitcoin miners in the United States. DPN advocates for policies that enable Bitcoin mining to contribute positively to energy innovation, economic growth, and grid resilience. By promoting a balanced regulatory approach, DPN ensures that the U.S. remains at the forefront of digital asset technology.