Ohio's new energy policy signed into law

By J.D. Davidson
The Center Square

Ohio’s energy plan for the 21st century is now law.

Gov. Mike DeWine signed the legislation Thursday, and energy producers are calling it a road map for other states that brings together nearly every special interest group.

“What Ohio has accomplished is remarkable and should serve as a model for other states,” Rob Nichols, spokesman for the Alliance for Competitive Power, told The Center Square. “The General Assembly passed a comprehensive, meaningful energy policy with overwhelming bipartisan support and the backing of virtually every interest party, from environmentalists to businesses to consumer advocates.

“By embracing free market principles and encouraging competition, Ohio will meet its growing energy demands, and ratepayers will be better protected from rising costs. This is what responsive, responsible government looks like.”

The new law streamlines rules for energy infrastructure, dials back government-mandated clean-energy projects and promotes transparency and competition. It also dials back taxpayer-funded energy subsidies that have haunted the state since the House Bill 6 scandal, which sent former House Speaker Larry Householder to prison for 20 years.

Senate President Rob McColley, R-Napolean, believes the plan puts the state at the forefront of energy production with strong natural gas supplies.

"This law has the capacity to make our great state a net exporter of power," McColley said.

It also puts more pressure on energy companies to be more transparent when asking for rate hikes from consumers.

"Ohio families won't see riders automatically appearing on their power bills any longer," said Sen. Bill Reineke, R-Tiffin. "Energy companies will need to open their books through a traditional rate case to justify additional charges used to cover upgrades to the grid, and that brings accountability to Ohio consumers."

Policy groups like The Buckeye Institute called the state’s best energy policy this century but work still needs to be done.

“With the signing of House Bill 15, Ohio is now a national leader in smart, free-market energy policy,” said Rea S. Hederman Jr., executive director of the Economic Research Center and vice president of policy at The Buckeye Institute. 

“While more work remains to ensure cost transparency and protect consumers from overpaying for costly infrastructure, The Buckeye Institute-championed policies are pro-consumer and pro-business – ending costly, uncompetitive subsidies, bringing back greater predictability in public utility rate cases, and incentivizing new energy development. House Bill 15 is the best energy policy Ohio has embraced since the end of the 20th century and goes a long way towards guaranteeing reliable and affordable energy for Ohioans and Ohio businesses.”

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