Just a few weeks after a controversial decision that federal regulators have now overturned, the head of the panel that regulates Ohio’s utilities has announced he’s quitting.
Andre Porter submitted his resignation to Gov. John Kasich, saying he’s grateful for the opportunity to have been both a Public Utilities Commissioner and the chair of the panel, but that he’s leaving for work in the private sector. It’s been reported he’s taking a job out of state. Porter leaves not long after state regulators approved temporary rate hikes for AEP and FirstEnergy to use to support struggling coal and nuclear power plants. Those deals have now been blocked by federal regulators, who say they need federal approval. Porter’s departure opens up the top position at the PUCO for the fourth time since Kasich took office in 2011, when Todd Snitchler took over for Alan Schriber, who’d been PUCO chair since 1999.
