- Bill Spratley, Green Energy Ohio

Green energy across Ohio faces a new challenge:

Ohio Senate Bill 310 to Make Ohio First State to Eviscerate an RPS - SB 310 introduced March 28 in the Ohio Senate that would gut (proponents say "freeze") the EE and RE requirements of SB 221 enacted nearly unanimously in 2008.  See full SB 310

Below this message is the Gongwer Statehouse Report on this.  Also below the story are links to several related new stories.

Senate GOP Unveils Proposal To Freeze Renewable, Energy Efficiency Benchmarks - Gongwer

Senate Republicans introduced a plan Friday to freeze Ohio’s green energy requirements at current levels to buy time for a study commission to determine whether further changes to the controversial law are warranted.

The proposal (SB 310) sponsored by Sen. Troy Balderson (R-Zanesville) would limit the state’s energy efficiency requirements to a 4.2% reduction from when the 2008 law took place. The legislation also freezes the renewable requirement at the current 2.5% of the total amount of electricity sold by Ohio’s utilities.

Meanwhile, a 21-member study committee would review the law and recommend possible changes to the General Assembly by the end of 2015.

The bill comes after months of contentious hearings on Sen. Bill Seitz’s (R-Cincinnati) proposed overhaul of the law, which requires electric utilities to cut customer consumption 22% by 2025 and sell 12.5% of their power from renewable resources.

Senate President Keith Faber (R-Celina) said nearly two months ago that the chamber was revisiting FirstEnergy Corp.’s original proposal to freeze the green energy standards at current levels. (See Gongwer Ohio Report, February 3, 2014) [Note: This appears to require a paid subscription to access.]

Details in today’s Gongwer News Service Ohio Report.

GOP drafts plan to freeze Ohio ‘green’ energy rules
- Columbus Dispatch March 28

Ohio renewable energy and energy efficiency mandates under attack
- Cleveland Plain Dealer March 28