Ohio House legislators voted Wednesday to advance their own version of lengthy energy generation legislation, which—like the Senate’s—includes an immediate rollback of controversial subsidies to two aging power plants.
House Bill 15 got nearly unanimous backing on the floor, but first saw some fierce debate in committee over how best to eliminate bailouts that have cost Ohioans more than $450 million, according to the Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel. The provision is just one in a bigger legislative package that proponents have said will prompt new energy generation and otherwise overhaul the system.
Those power plant subsidies were enacted under House Bill 6 in 2019, the legislative portion of a nuclear bailout scandal that led to numerous federal convictions and indictments, including landing Republican former House Speaker Larry Householder and former Ohio Republican Party Chair Matt Borges in federal prison.
Rather than ending them within 90 days of Gov. Mike DeWine’s signature, some lawmakers wanted to provide a glide path out. Rep. Andrea White (R-Kettering) said the former path could set bad precedent.
“When the state makes policy commitments, particularly those tied to long term business planning and infrastructure, it enters into a contract,” White said, quoting from a letter sent by the Ohio Business Roundtable. “Reversing course undermines the predictability and stability that companies rely on to make strategic decisions, including where to invest money.”
Electric utilities like American Electric Power (AEP) of Ohio and Duke Energy pass the legacy generation subsidy costs onto consumers, who pay as much as $1.50 on their bills monthly. Rep. Adam Holmes (R-Nashport) said he believes it isn't fair to elongate those subsidies any more. Holmes said the Ohio Legislature’s history on the energy front is “dark.”
“It’s got to change, and it’s got to change right now,” Holmes said.
Once it hit the floor, only three lawmakers voted against House Bill 15—former House Speaker and Rep. Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) as well as Reps. Don Jones (R-Freeport) and Latyna Humphrey (D-Columbus).
The two chambers will need to come to consensus on the differences between the two bills. HB 15 and Senate Bill 2 both immediately end the subsidies.
