Manufacturers in Rust Belt states are facing sharply higher electricity costs as surging energy demand from data centers strains the power grid operated by PJM Interconnection. The increased costs are squeezing profit margins for steelmakers and brick factories, threatening President Donald Trump's "Made in America" plan to revive U.S.
manufacturing, even as Trump backs the tech companies fueling the AI data center boom. For example, the Belden Brick Company in Ohio saw its monthly electricity bill jump from $1,600 to $12,000 due to a higher capacity charge, while the Steel Manufacturers Association reports that steel companies in the region are paying tens of millions of dollars more per year, with electricity accounting for 20 to 40 percent of steel production costs.
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