Northwest Ohio’s energy supply might be the key to its economic development.

That was the message that came through loud and clear at Thursday’s annual meeting of the Regional Growth Partnership.

With more than 500 people in attendance at the Pinnacle in Maumee, the organization’s executive vice president, Gary Thompson, introduced the theme early in the program.

“Electrical power improves technology,” he said. “And technology improves the electrical grid. Innovation drives demand for more power. Real breakthroughs require increasing amounts of electrical power. Sustainable innovation is where these trends intersect.”

Mr. Thompson said regions with reliable, cost-effective power attract development and northwest Ohio’s supply of power can be a significant selling point for companies thinking of locating here.

In a video presentation, Scott Hayes, director of Midwest government relations and strategic communications for PBF Energy, pointed out that two natural gas pipelines pass through northwest Ohio. 

“The world has to figure out how to produce power as cleanly and efficiently as possible,” he said. “We can deliver a lot of gas when requested — a nice situation for the northwest Ohio region. There are over 50 energy companies in the region that allow us to live a modern life.”

One attendee, Paul Jeffers, a business development executive for Environmental Design Group, a planning, design, and civil engineering firm based in Akron, said what was discussed at the meeting was consistent with what he had heard in other regions.

“The issue of power is an absolutely critical issue for Ohio and communities that want to grow,” he said. “The questions that industry asks when you work on site location are, do you have enough power, and what’s the outlook for power in the future. The economic development world is focused on that.”

The meeting’s keynote presentation was delivered by Will Turner, the managing director of Upterra Group, a consulting firm based in Reston, Va., that focuses on corporate strategy and commercial real estate.

Like the other speakers, he stressed the importance of energy to economic development. But he also sounded a cautionary note, pointing out large power transformers have a lifespan of about 40 years and many of those in the U.S. are at or near that age.

“The state of our nation’s power grid is our greatest vulnerability today,” he said. “We need more power on land, but also at sea. The lead time on new substations has doubled because of supply chain delays.”

Like the other speakers, he was bullish on natural gas as an energy source for the region.

“It’s cleaner than coal, land-efficient, and scalable,” he said. “We believe the gas supply in northwest Ohio could support several data centers.”

His company is involved in the plans to construct a data center in Oregon on 170 acres near Corduroy and Wynn roads.

Brandon Sehlhorst, the city of Toledo’s economic development director, said energy issues are something he and the city are very familiar with.

“Electric power and natural gas are huge for the region,” he said after the meeting. “But the type of companies that need that level of power and gas need hundreds of acres. The challenge is getting sites prepared near those assets.”

Mr. Turner suggested northwest Ohio could contribute significantly to the ship-building industry, which he believes will see a boom in the coming years.

“We may need a fleet of dredgers,” he said. “We’re going to need more icebreakers. We need a new generation of vessels. All of these will need engines, which can be made here in northwest Ohio.”

Energy was not the only topic addressed at the meeting. The Regional Growth Partnership celebrated its work with Intraplás, a Portuguese company that specializes in dairy packaging that recently opened a 100,000-square-foot plant in Van Wert, Ohio. 

“Why Van Wert? Why Ohio? We looked at 28 indicators. Ohio has a strong work force, a good strategic location, and a business-friendly environment,” said Eric Englert, the company’s market development director. “Van Wert in particular is a perfect location for logistics for existing and prospective customers.”

First Published March 13, 2025, 7:37 p.m.