Senate Bill 310, which would freeze Ohio's renewable energy and energy efficiency standards for two years, is headed for the House floor after winning approval from a House committee on Wednesday.

Bill to freeze energy efficiency, renewable energy mandates set for House vote

By Jeremy Pelzer, Northeast Ohio Media Group 
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on May 27, 2014 at 3:50 PM, updated May 28, 2014 at 10:18 AM

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A proposed two-year freeze on Ohio’s renewable energy and energy efficiency standards will likely move ahead to a House vote Wednesday, despite an attempt by some lawmakers to push an alternative plan.

[The Ohio House of Representatives is scheduled to convene on Wed., May 28 at 1:30 pm EST. Watch on-line http://www.ohiochannel.org/]

Senate Bill 310 would freeze mandates passed in 2008 giving utilities until 2025 to slash customers’ power usage by 22 percent and get 25 percent of their power from solar, wind, and other renewable sources.

During the freeze, a 12-member legislative study committee would consider changes to the standards, which have particularly been opposed by FirstEnergy Corp.

The House Public Utilities Committee voted 13-9 to advance the proposal after tacking on a number of amendments.

If passed, the legislation would freeze the renewable-energy mandate at 2.5 percent, while the energy efficiency requirement would remain at a 4.2 percent reduction in demand compared to 2009 energy usage levels.

Rep. Peter Stautberg, the Cincinnati-area Republican who chairs the committee, rebuffed attempts by Republican Reps. Mike Duffey of Worthington and Mark Romanchuk of Ontario to advance an alternative plan.

Their plan, a compromise reached between business, industrial and consumer groups, would impose only a one-year freeze and cap what small businesses and consumers pay utilities to run energy efficiency programs.

Download a copy of SB 310 as it was amended:

130_SB_310_RH_Y_as reported from House Public Utilities Committee_2014-05-28