Energy Management

OMA Testifies: Fix Utility Refund Law

Continuing the OMA’s drumbeat for policies that provide refunds to customers when electric utilities are found to have improperly over collected, Rob Brundrett, OMA’s managing director of public policy services, this week filed testimony in support of HB 260. The bill would correct case law that has denied customer refunds and allowed utilities to keep overages.

Numerous other organizations expressed support for the bill including the Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel and Ohio Cast Metals Association. 5/27/2021

OMA Testifies in Support of Bill That Secures Natural Gas Access

This week the OMA went on record with the Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee chairman in support of House Bill 201, a bill that prohibits local governments from banning or blocking consumers from obtaining natural gas hookups.

The OMA worked with the bill sponsors and other interested parties to ensure that the intent of the bill matched its language. OMA’s Rob Brundrett wrote: “We believe that the current version of HB 201 helps ensure Ohio’s manufacturers will continue to have access to reliable and economical energy sources.” The bill is expected to move before the end of the summer. 5/27/2021

Senate Continues Debate on Approvals of Large Solar/Wind Projects

This week the Senate introduced a substitute version of SB 52. The intent of the original bill was to increase the influence local and impacted parties have during the Ohio Power Siting Board process when siting large-scale wind and solar projects.

The original bill allowed for local referendums of Board decisions. The new sub bill gives county commissioners the ability to stop projects in advance of the application being filed with the Power Siting Board.

The sub bill also allows county commissioners to designate zones in their counties where wind or solar projects would be permitted, and finally the bill provides that if a county or township passes a resolution against such a project then there is a rebuttal presumption that the project is detrimental, requiring the Power Siting Board to create a defense of the project.

The bill is expected to be voted out of the Senate soon. 5/27/2021

Changes Coming to Wholesale Power Markets?

Members of the OMA Energy Committee gathered this week to assess the energy policy environment and learn about best practices.

Chaired by Brad Belden, president of the Belden Brick Company, the committee heard from guest presenter Todd Snitchler, President and CEO of the Electric Power Supply Association (EPSA). Snitchler described significant policy changes affecting the rules of the largely deregulated wholesale generation market and the importance of competitive markets.

Committee members also got an update from Enbridge on Michigan’s Line 5 Pipeline. If energy matters are important to you, it’s free and easy to join the committee – no obligations! 5/27/2021

Leadership Change in Senate Energy Committee

Sen. Rob McColley (R-Napoleon) has been named the chair of the Ohio Senate Energy & Public Utilities Committee, replacing Sen. Bob Peterson (R-Washington Court House). The leadership change comes as Sen. Peterson is running for Ohio’s 15th Congressional District.

Sen. McColley takes the reins of the committee as the panel considers several high-profile bills, including Senate Bill 117, OMA-supported legislation to repeal House Bill 6’s $700 million ratepayer-funded subsidy for OVEC-owned coal plants. 5/18/2021

Senate Energy Committee Hears Wind and Solar Referendum Bill

In the Ohio Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee this week, dozens of witnesses testified for and against Senate Bill 52, which addresses the siting of large-scale solar and wind projects. The substitute bill mirrors its House companion (House Bill 118) and allows township trustees to adopt a resolution that designates portions of a township as an “energy development district.” These districts — if approved by voters — would be available for large wind and solar projects.

Opponents of the legislation say it would stifle renewable energy development in Ohio. The OMA provided opponent testimony on the original bill and is working with allies to find a solution to ensure local citizens have a meaningful opportunity to engage at the Ohio Power Siting Board. 5/20/2021

House Introduces Electric Security Plan Elimination Bill

This week, Rep. Shane Wilkin (R-Hillsboro) introduced House Bill 317. At the macro level, HB 317 would eliminate electric security plans (ESPs).

The ESP process was originally established to ensure electricity prices would not increase too much as utilities continued the transition to a mature de-regulated market. Since its creation, however, the ESP process has turned into a mechanism that regulated utilities use to increase costs through numerous above-market charges added to customers’ bills. The proposal would eliminate ESPs and require utilities to provide standard service offers under a competitive market-rate offer. The bill would also allow utilities to implement economic development and job-retention programs under the market-rate offer, while allowing utilities to apply to the PUCO to recover non-bypassable costs of those unlimited programs.

The OMA is researching and analyzing HB 317. At next week’s OMA Energy Committee, we will take a deep dive on this and other energy bills pending in the legislature. Register now! 5/20/2021

OMA Testifies to Eliminate OVEC Subsidies

This week, Brad Belden, president of The Belden Brick Company and chair of the OMA Energy Committee, testified on behalf of the OMA in support of Senate Bill 117 — legislation to repeal House Bill 6’s $700 million ratepayer-funded subsidy for two Ohio Valley Electric Corporation (OVEC) coal plants, one of which is in Indiana. The bill would also refund customers the charges borne since HB 6 took effect.

The OMA has been on the frontlines advocating for the repeal of anti-customer provisions included in HB 6 including, the nuclear subsidies and decoupling provision. The OVEC subsidies are one of the last pieces of HB 6’s anti-market policy that remains in law. Customers will be on the hook for these subsidies through 2030 without action by state lawmakers. 5/13/2021

Ohio Policymakers Return AEP Political Contributions

Records show Ohio lawmakers and Gov. Mike DeWine have recently returned around $50,000 to American Electric Power’s (AEP) political action committee, according to a report by Ohio Capital Journal. AEP is a key beneficiary of House Bill 6’s $700 million ratepayer-funded subsidy for two OVEC coal plants.

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) is currently seeking an independent audit of the OVEC plants. 5/12/2021

Wind and Solar Referendum Bill Sees Major Changes in Committee

This week, the House Public Utilities Committee accepted a substitute version of House Bill 118 (a companion to Senate Bill 52). As introduced, HB 118 would have allowed townships to hold referendums on Ohio Power Siting Board decisions regarding nearby large-scale solar and wind projects. The substitute version instead allows township trustees to adopt a resolution that designates portions of a township as an “energy development district.” These districts — if approved by voters — would be available for large wind and solar projects.

The OMA is engaged and will be discussing this bill more at the May 27 Energy Committee meeting. 5/13/2021