Ohio’s Electric Consumers Should Not Subsidize the Status Quo

The following statement is attributed to Rachael Belz, Director, Ohio Consumers Power Alliance:

The mission of the Ohio Consumers Power Alliance is to educate and mobilize our state’s energy consumers around opportunities to diversify Ohio’s energy portfolio and keep rates low. Today, lawmakers provided us with our first test.

The legislation is a creative approach used to blatantly disguise a consumer-funded bailout of two old, uneconomical nuclear plants as a comprehensive energy policy. Every ratepayer in Ohio would be charged a monthly fee to subsidize more of the same. The legislation effectively repeals the state’s renewable energy and energy efficiency standards, tying the hands of new technology companies that have been creating jobs without saddling consumers with added charges.

Our members remain staunchly opposed to rewarding FirstEnergy’s bad business decisions by allowing them to dig deep into the pockets of Ohio ratepayers to cover the bill with no end in sight. We also remain deeply disappointed in our leaders for continuing to reject energy innovation and job growth while keeping Ohio firmly planted in the dark ages of the status quo.