Customers Continue to Subsidize Coal Power Plants

In an interview with Cleveland.com, Gov. Mike DeWine this week indicated he doesn’t support the OVEC subsidy in Ohio law. The Plain Dealer notes that even without DeWine’s support of the coal-plant subsidies, there currently isn’t enough support in the state legislature to repeal them.

According to this OMA analysis of the OVEC subsidies, Ohio electric customers are spending nearly a billion dollars to subsidize the Clifty Creek Power Plant in Indiana. The U.S. EPA has denied this facility a coal ash pond permit and proposed that its owners cease receipt of waste within 135 days.

The move raises questions about the plant’s viability. Even if it ceases to operate and generate power, Ohio customers will still be paying a rider (on power bills) as a result of the corrupt House Bill 6, enacted in 2019. 1/13/2022