Proponents Make Case for Nuclear Power Subsidies

Advocates of saving Ohio’s two nuclear power plants appeared this week before a Statehouse panel to support House Bill 6. If passed and signed into law, the bill would impose new customer charges that would be used to subsidize uneconomic nuclear power plants. Introduced last Friday by Reps. Jamie Callender (R, Lake County) and Shane Wilkin (R, Highland County), HB 6 is being fast-tracked and has already received two hearings this week.

Testifying as a proponent, power plant owner FirstEnergy Solutions was joined by local government officials from affected communities that want to save jobs at the nuclear plants and preserve sources of local tax revenue. The bankrupt FirstEnergy subsidiary justified the proposed subsidies by stating that the bill would bring environmental benefits.

The House Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy Generation will meet again next week — on both Tuesday, April 23, and Wednesday, April 24 — when opponents are expected to present their testimony. 4/18/2019