Ohio Legislature Looking At Different Routes For Potential HB6 Repeal

Two different pieces of legislation addressing the sweeping energy law that created more than $1 billion in subsidies for nuclear and coal plants got hearings with an Ohio Senate committee this week as legislators consider three options in for dealing with the bill connected to a $61 million corruption case.

There are three bills — HB738, HB746, SB346 — that all seek a full repeal of HB6. Those measures also have bipartisan support and the House bills received several hearings in the House Select Committee on Energy Policy and Oversight.

Rep. Mark Romanchuk (R-Ontario) is offering another option, HB772, as a partial repeal of HB6 which would eliminate the $20 million in annual ratepayer subsidies bound for nuclear, coal, and solar plants while retaining the cuts HB6 makes to renewable energy standards and the elimination of the energy efficiency standards.

"It is irresponsible and unnecessary for this body or the PUCO to be engaged in any policy that affects the generation market," Romanchuk told the Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee Tuesday. 

But supporters of a full repeal say the entire process to pass HB6 is tainted by a $61 million bribery scandal, in which some defendants have already pleaded guilty. 

Federal prosecutors say a utility, believed to be FirstEnergy, funneled millions of dollars to a dark money organization that helped lobby and campaign for HB6. The bill, which was signed into law July 2019, accomplishes several items on FirstEnergy's legislative agenda for the past decade, including rolling back the clean energy standards.

Miranda Leppla, vice president of energy policy for the Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund, said Romanchuk's bill does not go far enough.

"It overlooks the least costly resource out there, energy efficiency. If the Ohio General Assembly desires to reduce harmful emissions and lower energy bills, state policy must invest in energy efficiency and also signal that Ohio is open for clean energy business. Given our existing barriers and lack of incentives for efficiency, companies will choose to invest resources and money in other states that are more welcoming to clean energy innovation," Leppla said in a written statement.

The legislature has until the end of the year to make a decision on HB6 before new charges begin to appear on electric bills that collect the revenue for the power plant subsidies. Supporters of HB6 say the elimination of the clean energy standards offset the new subsidies, a claim that is disputed by opponents.

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