Energy Management

Federal Court Deals Blow to Line 5 Pipeline

On June 16, a federal court ordered Canadian oil company Enbridge to cease the flow of oil and decommission within three years a segment of its Line 5 pipeline, according to reports. Meanwhile, Michigan business leaders are urging federal regulators to approve construction of the Great Lakes Tunnel. 6/20/2023

Registration Open for OMA’s Energy Conference

The Ohio Manufacturers’ Energy Conference is set for Sept. 13 at the Quest Conference Center in Westerville. Members can register now.

Following last year’s successful debut of this event, the 2023 conference will showcase best practices in energy management, efficiency, and procurement; practical advice for strategic decision making; policy and regulatory updates that matter to manufacturing operations; and plenty of networking opportunities.

Here are the day’s breakout sessions. More speaker bios will be added to the site as they become available. 6/19/2023

FERC OKs PJM Request to Delay Power Auctions

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has approved power grid operator PJM Interconnection’s request to delay the upcoming capacity auctions. The move creates significant uncertainty for customers and merchant generators, according to experts. Read more. 6/14/2023

Electricity Generation From Natural Gas Sets Record

The Energy Information Administration reports that U.S. electricity generation from natural gas reached a record high during the most recent winter heating season, accounting for 38% of the nation’s generation mix.

Meanwhile, the EIA recently updated Ohio’s energy profile page, which notes that the state’s natural gas production in 2021 was more than 29 times higher than in 2010. 6/14/2023

Plain Dealer Examines HB 6 ‘Dark Money’ Campaign

Cleveland.com has published a detailed look at how so-called “dark money” funneled into non-profit organizations was used to support House Bill 6 — which, among other things, authorized a $1 billion bailout for FirstEnergy’s two Ohio nuclear power facilities.

Former House Speaker Larry Householder and lobbyist Matt Borges will be sentenced at the end of June for their roles in the HB 6 scandal. Both face up to 20 years. 6/14/2023

Senate Budget Includes Utility Provision

Among the more noteworthy items in the Senate version of the state budget (House Bill 33) are some troubling utility-related provisions.

The OMA is opposed to the provisons since they would erode important customer protections, while forcing ratepayers to fund “economic development” or “infrastructure” projects, whether or not the projects were ever used.

As the full Senate prepares to vote on the budget, OMA staff will continue to educate senators and advocate for the removal of these provisions. 6/8/2023

Report: Coal Plant Subsidies in the Crosshairs

Some Ohio lawmakers are looking at ways to bypass their leaders to repeal a House Bill 6 provision that forces electric ratepayers to fund 1950s-era coal plants. The Ohio Capital Journal reports on the development.

Much of HB 6 has been repealed, but the law’s subsidies for the Ohio Valley Electric Corporation (OVEC) remain in place. The OMA recently released a study that found Ohio customers will subsidize OVEC’s utility owners (AEP Ohio, Duke Energy, and AES) an estimated $850 million by 2030 if the subsidies aren’t repealed. The utilities intend to start collecting the subsidies from customers again in July, reports say. 6/8/2023

At a Glance: Ohio’s Electricity Price Spikes

As reports circulate regarding the electricity price spikes affecting Ohio businesses and residences on a standard service offer rate (SSO), here’s a look at the SSO increases that were implemented June 1 by various electric utilities:

• Ohio Edison (FirstEnergy): Increased from 5.8 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) to 12.39 cents per kWh;
• Toledo Edison (FirstEnergy): Increased from 5.9 cents per kWh to 12.41 cents;
• Illuminating Co.: Increased from 5.9 cents per kWh to 12.40 cents;
• AEP Ohio: Increased from 7.4 cents per kWh to 11.8 cents; and
• Duke Energy: Increased from 6.4 cents to 10.1 cents.

The OMA has made available resources to help control electric costs. 6/7/2023

U.S. Hydrogen Energy Roadmap Released

The Biden administration has released its National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap, aimed at accelerating the production, processing, delivery, storage, and use of hydrogen to reduce carbon emissions. Read more in this report by EHS Today. 6/8/2023

Ohio Is a Renewable Energy Leader in 2023

Renewable energy projects are booming, according to this infographic, which illustrates 2023 renewable energy and battery installations in every state. Overall, Ohio is No. 4 with 1.92 gigawatts of new solar capacity. 6/5/2023