AEP Ohio, a subsidiary of American Electric Power $(AEP)$, is taking significant steps to address the power needs of Ohio's growing data center industry while safeguarding its other customers. The company has implemented new requirements for large new data center customers, mandating them to pay for at least 85% of the energy they are subscribed to use, even if their actual usage is lower. This initiative is designed to ensure that the costs of necessary infrastructure improvements are not unfairly passed on to other customers. The terms also include a sliding scale for small and mid-sized data centers, and require data center owners to demonstrate their financial viability. Additionally, an exit fee is imposed if a project is canceled or unable to meet its contractual obligations. These measures, set to last for 12 years with a 4-year ramp-up period, aim to provide clarity and support the continued development of data centers in AEP Ohio's service area. AEP Ohio is based in Gahanna, Ohio, and serves 1.5 million customers across 61 counties.