A split Ohio Supreme Court has blocked a charge FirstEnergy customers have been paying since 2017, saying state regulators improperly allowed it to go forward. This charge cost customers as much as $200 million for each of those two years.
The panel of state regulators that reviews utility rates will soon have a new leader who has a history of opposing renewable energy issues. This is causing concerns for supporters of a proposed solar farm from AEP.
Sergey Edentod (solar), James Kelley (coal), David Gaylor (gas)/SHUTTERSTOCK and Andy Chow (wind)
Environmental groups say Gov. Mike DeWine’s appointment of Sam Randazzo to lead the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio is problematic because of Randazzo's past opposition to renewable energy issues.
Groups representing low-income people are calling on state regulators to reject AT&T’s plan to drop out of a federal program that helps over 10,000 of its Ohio customers afford telephone service.
Among the things lawmakers are dealing with in this lame duck session is whether the Senate will confirm a Democratic lawyer from Columbus to the commission that hears utility rate cases.
Approving a governor’s appointee is usually a formality for the Ohio Senate. But the chamber’s leader says he has concerns about a Democratic lawyer from Columbus who is Gov. John Kasich’s pick for the panel that regulates electric utilities in Ohio.
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.
Federal regulators have blocked Akron-based FirstEnergy and Columbus-based American Electric Power from imposing controversial short-term rate increases on customers to bring in money for struggling coal and nuclear plants - deals the companies said were essential to market stability but critics said were "bailouts".
