Ruling by Ohio Regulators Undermines Grid Data Transparency and Efficient Energy and EV Charger Development
A recent decision by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) significantly undermines the usefulness of a cost-saving, cutting-edge utility tool that could help improve the development of energy resources—such as solar, energy storage, and EV charging infrastructure—in the state. The decision establishes standards for the information that the state’s utilities are required to include in a tool called a hosting capacity analysis (HCA) map. Unfortunately, the requirements adopted by Ohio regulators fall far short of national best practices, leaving stakeholders skeptical that forthcoming HCAs will meaningfully improve transparency and the efficiency of energy planning and deployment in the state.
Ohio Substitute House Bill Number 15 (HB15) directed all of the state’s investor-owned electric utilities to develop and publicly share HCAs no later than May 31, 2026. Commonly displayed as a map of the electric grid, HCAs can increase customer transparency into conditions on the electric grid and make energy development more efficient and cost-effective by giving project developers essential data to make informed siting decisions. But whether HCAs deliver on those goals in practice depends heavily on the quality of the data they include and how current it is.
HB15 ordered PUCO to establish uniform reporting standards and require utilities to include additional data points as necessary to improve transparency and planning. Stakeholders then filed comments on map design, data accuracy, usability, and utility reporting standards in January. Several nonprofit stakeholders submitted detailed recommendations on best practices already established in other states to maximize HCA usefulness. In their ruling, Ohio regulators sided with utilities’ requests to limit the information included in HCAs, stating that best practices used in other states are “unduly burdensome and, moreover, premature.” This decision comes as other states continue to adopt best practices to meet evolving grid transparency and planning needs. As a result, Ohio’s first-ever HCA mandate will not incorporate well-recognized, proven approaches.
“High-quality hosting capacity maps can streamline the process of connecting new sources of electricity to the grid and reduce the time and cost to develop these projects. However, poorly designed or infrequently updated maps are ineffective, and it is always more difficult to rework a poorly developed map than to take the time to create a useful product from the start,” said Shay Banton, Regulatory Program Engineer and Energy Justice Policy Advocate for the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC), an independent nonprofit that participated in the rulemaking process. “Given that utility ratepayers bear the cost of developing this tool, the decision to disregard national best practices for ensuring its usability risks wasting resources and ratepayer dollars.”
While the recent ruling meets the minimum requirements set forth by HB15, it falls short of delivering results that would meaningfully improve grid transparency to support clean energy and EV charger deployment. Notable best practices that regulators declined to require include: updates at least monthly instead of quarterly; displaying more granular (“nodal”) results that are aligned with the parts of the grid; providing downloadable access to key datasets; and developing standardized and transparent HCA criteria to ensure consistent customer experience across utility jurisdictions.
Consequently, Ohio stakeholders and utilities will be left with HCA maps that lack sufficient detail to guide project siting and development decisions or improve internal utility grid planning, perpetuating ongoing information gaps among regulators, developers, customers, and utilities.
“Ohio has been a national leader in the deployment of NEVI-funded electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, and we applaud that commitment to building the infrastructure that Ohioans need. That is why we encourage the PUC to bring the same ambition to the implementation of HCA maps. HCA maps are an important tool for siting new charging infrastructure efficiently. Unstandardized maps that lack granular data or timely updates will slow additional deployments of EV chargers needed across Ohio. We look forward to working with the Commission, utilities, and other interested parties to strengthen Ohio’s HCA standards and ensure this important tool delivers for Ohio’s EV drivers, developers, and ratepayers,” said Will Drier, Policy Manager for the nonprofit Electrification Coalition.
Interested parties still have opportunities to encourage the commission to adopt robust HCA standards. Stakeholders can follow new developments and opportunities to participate in this docket (25-0765-EL-UNC) on the corresponding page of the PUCO website. The Commission is required by HB15 to hold at least two stakeholder meetings annually to receive input on map design, data accuracy, and usability.
While this recent ruling may delay Ohio’s progress toward more efficient and affordable development of local energy projects, opportunities for improvements remain. Many states that have successfully implemented and enforced robust HCA map requirements achieved this through sustained effort. With strong regulatory support and enforcement, Ohio stakeholders can achieve greater grid transparency, ultimately accelerating the deployment of solar, energy storage, and EV chargers across the state.
