County snapshot · records read 2026-11-09

Data center siting snapshot: Franklin County, Ohio

What public records show about building a data center in Franklin County: local and state data center rules, mapped high-voltage lines and the utilities on record. Every line links its source.

Screen a parcel in Franklin · $149See a sample screen
Mapped 230 kV+ line in county
118.8 mi
500 kV+: 0.0 · 345 kV: 118.8 · 230 kV: 0.0 mi
Named 230 kV+ line endpoints
5
Usually substations or switchyards (inferred)
Local data center rule records
5
State/utility records: 15

Line miles are measured from the archived HIFLD Transmission Lines layer inside the Census county boundary. Mapped lines are not available capacity.

What the public record shows

Listed directly from the numbered facts below.

Data center rules on record

JurisdictionRecordStatusDateSource
Grove City (Franklin Co.)Nov 3, 2026 ballot measureenacted2026-11-03DCD: Local data center moratoria, limits, and restrictions voted in across the US
Jackson Township (Franklin County)Resolution 2026-049, "Data Center Moratorium," Jackson Township Board of Trustees, 3756 Hoover Road, Grove City, Ohio 43123in force2026-05-12Agenda, Regular Meeting, Jackson Township Board of Trustees, May 12, 2026; Jackson Township approves 1-year data center moratorium as residents push Grove City to act
Prairie Township (Franklin County)Prairie Township (Franklin County) Trustee Resolution No. 18-26, six-month moratorium on zoning permits for data centersstatus unconfirmed; listed end date 2026-10-15 has passed2026-04-15Prairie Township (Franklin County)
Pleasant Township (Franklin County)Pleasant Township (Franklin County) Trustee Resolution 11 (2026) placing a moratorium on any building of data centers in the townshipin force2026-02-24Columbus Dispatch; WSYX ABC6
Washington Township (Franklin County)Board of Trustees Motion #2025.12.09.001 (90-day initial moratorium, 2025-12-09), extended by Resolution #2026.02.10.005 (2026-02-10), citing R.C. 519.02 (township zoning authority).status unconfirmed; listed end date 2026-09-05 has passed2025-12-09Minutes of February 10, 2026; Washington Township Resolution 2026.02.10.005
OhioGovernor-elect pledge: conditional moratoriumproposed2026-11-04DCD: Anti-data center candidates claim victory across the US in 2026 midterm elections
OhioHB 392pending2026-06-10HB 392 - Ohio Right to Compute Act - 136th GA; HB 392 status/action history
OhioHB 646pending2026-06-10HB 646 - Data Center Study Commission - 136th GA; HB 646 status/action history
OhioGovernor pause on new data center sales-tax exemption requestsin force2026-05-27Ohio Governor: DeWine announces pause of data center tax exemption; LoadAtlas: Data center tax incentives by state, and what changed in 2026
OhioHB 784pending2026-03-25HB 784 - data center water consumption reports - 136th GA; HB 784 status/action history
OhioSB 374pending2026-03-25SB 374 status/action history
OhioSB 378pending2026-03-25SB 378 status/action history
OhioSB 381pending2026-03-25SB 381 status/action history
OhioHB 706pending2026-02-25HB 706 - minimum requirements on data center customers - 136th GA; HB 706 status/action history
OhioHB 710pending2026-02-25HB 710 - prohibit public support for new data centers - 136th GA; HB 710 status/action history
OhioHB 695pending2026-02-18HB 695 - NDA prohibition for local officials - 136th GA; HB 695 status/action history
AEP OhioAEP Ohio data center tariff (PUCO-approved)in force2026-02-12AEP Ohio: Data Center Tariff; AEP Ohio: Updates PUCO on data center load, figures show tariff is working
OhioHB 96enacted2025-06-30HB 96 - FY2026-27 state budget - 136th GA; HB 96 status/action history
OhioSB 190pending2025-05-07SB 190 status/action history
OhioSB 145pending2025-03-19SB 145 status/action history

Rule records come from The MW Desk legislation tracker, which includes rows from the Moratorium Nation dataset by Michael J. Bommarito (CC BY 4.0). Statuses change; confirm with the jurisdiction's own record.

Utilities on record

Ohio Power, City of Columbus (OH), South Central Power, Ohio Edison. (HIFLD/EIA-861 territory polygons; approximate and often overlapping.)

Market context on The MW Desk: Columbus / Central Ohio.

Have a parcel here? A Quick Screen checks the nearest mapped lines and substations, FEMA flood zone, these rules and the utility for one parcel, with a red-flag list and the questions to ask the utility. $149, delivered in 24 hours.

Sources

  1. [1] The archived HIFLD map shows about 118.8 miles of 230 kV-and-above transmission line inside Franklin County, OH: 0.0 miles at 500 kV or more, 118.8 miles at 345 kV and 0.0 miles at 230 kV. Source: HIFLD Transmission Lines (archived by SeerAI, CC BY 4.0)
  2. [2] The same map shows about 269.9 miles of 115–161 kV line in the county. Source: HIFLD Transmission Lines (archived by SeerAI, CC BY 4.0)
  3. [3] Owners of record with the most mapped 115 kV+ line miles in the county: American Electric Power Co., Ohio Power, Dayton Power and Light. Source: HIFLD Transmission Lines (archived by SeerAI, CC BY 4.0)
  4. [4] 5 named line endpoints touching 230 kV+ lines (usually substations or switchyards) are mapped inside the county. Source: HIFLD Transmission Lines (archived by SeerAI, CC BY 4.0)
  5. [5] Retail electric utilities whose mapped service territory covers part of the county include: Ohio Power, City of Columbus (OH), South Central Power, Ohio Edison. Territory boundaries are approximate. Source: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (EIA-861 based; archived by SeerAI, CC BY 4.0)
  6. [6] Grove City (Franklin Co.) (city): Nov 3, 2026 ballot measure (Voters now require a public vote on projects over 50 acres, 20 MW, or 500,000 gal/day of water). Status: enacted, dated 2026-11-03. Source: DCD: Local data center moratoria, limits, and restrictions voted in across the US
  7. [7] Jackson Township (Franklin County) (township): Resolution 2026-049, "Data Center Moratorium," Jackson Township Board of Trustees, 3756 Hoover Road, Grove City, Ohio 43123. Status: in force, dated 2026-05-12. Source: Agenda, Regular Meeting, Jackson Township Board of Trustees, May 12, 2026
  8. [8] Prairie Township (Franklin County) (township): Prairie Township (Franklin County) Trustee Resolution No. 18-26, six-month moratorium on zoning permits for data centers. Status: status unconfirmed; listed end date 2026-10-15 has passed, dated 2026-04-15. Source: Prairie Township (Franklin County)
  9. [9] Pleasant Township (Franklin County) (township): Pleasant Township (Franklin County) Trustee Resolution 11 (2026) placing a moratorium on any building of data centers in the township. Status: in force, dated 2026-02-24. Source: Columbus Dispatch
  10. [10] Washington Township (Franklin County) (township): Board of Trustees Motion #2025.12.09.001 (90-day initial moratorium, 2025-12-09), extended by Resolution #2026.02.10.005 (2026-02-10), citing R.C. 519.02 (township zoning authority).. Status: status unconfirmed; listed end date 2026-09-05 has passed, dated 2025-12-09. Source: Minutes of February 10, 2026
  11. [11] Ohio state/utility level, Ohio: Governor pause on new data center sales-tax exemption requests. Status: in force, dated 2026-05-27. Source: Ohio Governor: DeWine announces pause of data center tax exemption
  12. [12] Ohio state/utility level, AEP Ohio: AEP Ohio data center tariff (PUCO-approved) (Collateral, minimum demand charges, 8-12-year contracts and exit fees. More than 30 GW of pre-tariff requests fell to 5,642 MW of signed contracts (Feb 12, 2026), plus 12,219 MW signed before the tariff). Status: in force, dated 2026-02-12. Source: AEP Ohio: Data Center Tariff
  13. [13] Ohio state/utility level, Ohio: HB 392 (Ohio Right to Compute Act; limits state and local restrictions on computational resources, with AI risk-management requirements and nuisance language tied to physical infrastructure). Status: pending, dated 2026-06-10. Source: HB 392 - Ohio Right to Compute Act - 136th GA
  14. [14] Ohio state/utility level, Ohio: HB 646 (Creates Data Center Study Commission to study environmental impacts, grid and rate effects, water and wastewater, noise, light, local economy, farmland, national security, and opposition messaging; report due within six months if enacted). Status: pending, dated 2026-06-10. Source: HB 646 - Data Center Study Commission - 136th GA
  15. [15] Ohio state/utility level, Ohio: HB 784 (Requires monthly and yearly data center water consumption reporting and prohibits data center water-use information in nondisclosure agreements with political subdivisions). Status: pending, dated 2026-03-25. Source: HB 784 - data center water consumption reports - 136th GA
  16. [16] Ohio state/utility level, Ohio: SB 374 (Prohibits new data center sales and use tax exemptions after a specified date, reported as 2027-10-01). Status: pending, dated 2026-03-25. Source: SB 374 status/action history