
The Ohio legislature is crafting another massive energy overhaul bill for 2025. We need to ensure it benefits all Ohioans.
A major energy bill moving through the Ohio legislature could reshape how utilities operate and what consumers pay for electricity. House Bill 15 (HB 15) aims to protect consumers while addressing Ohio's growing energy needs, but important improvements are still needed.
What the Bill Does
HB 15 introduces several significant changes to Ohio's energy landscape:
First, it ends costly coal plant subsidies that currently cost Ohioans $445,000 per day to support aging facilities, including one in Indiana. These subsidies were part of the controversial House Bill 6 from 2019, which led to multiple arrests and convictions in a federal corruption investigation.
The bill also stops utilities from adding expensive projects to consumer bills without proper review. Currently, utilities can add charges through "Electric Security Plans" with minimal oversight. HB 15 would require utilities to undergo thorough regulatory review before raising rates.
For consumers who shop for their electricity supplier, the bill adds protections against sudden price increases and improves billing transparency.
What's Missing
While HB 15 offers important consumer protections, it overlooks two crucial solutions for Ohio's energy future:
Energy Efficiency: As Ohio attracts new data centers and factories, reducing energy waste through efficiency programs would be far cheaper than building new power plants. The bill should include voluntary efficiency programs that help consumers and businesses save money while reducing strain on the power grid.
Energy efficiency is the most immediate and cost-effective tool to address potential energy shortages. It does so by reducing overall energy demand, which costs a fraction of building the new generation needed to power the growth of data centers.
Comprehensive energy legislation should include voluntary energy efficiency programs, such as those considered in HB 79 during the last General Assembly. These programs result in avoided generation costs, improved reliability, reduced need for investment in the grid, economic development, and environmental gains.
Local Clean Energy: Ohio needs more in-state power generation to ensure reliability and energy independence. The bill should support community solar projects and make it easier for homes and businesses to install solar panels. This would give Ohioans more control over their energy costs while building a more resilient grid.
When utilities propose new projects, they need to consider all their options in order to ensure they keep rates as low as possible.
If Ohio wants to maintain energy independence and ensure reliability, it needs to build in-state power, including renewable energy and battery storage.
Increasing energy production should also include options for residential and commercial customers to put solar panels on their homes and businesses. Additionally, the legislation should encourage options like community solar where customers can choose to buy their power from nearby solar facilities.
If language is added to the legislation addressing permitting reform, it should include all energy options, not just natural gas.
What's Next
The Ohio House aims to move quickly on this legislation. A companion bill, Senate Bill 2, has also been introduced but contains no specific proposals yet.
As Ohio faces potential energy shortages, we need comprehensive legislation that protects consumers while building a clean, reliable energy system.