The company that runs two coal and two nuclear plants in Ohio is working on a new bankruptcy proposal after a federal judge denied their initial filing. There’s a broad range of opponents in the case, including environmental groups who fear the energy generator’s parent company is trying to shirk its responsibility.
FirstEnergy Solutionsis filing for bankruptcy in a restructuring plan that would officially separate the company from FirstEnergy Corp., the energy distributor.
Dick Munson with the Environmental Defense Fundsaid FirstEnergy Corp. wants off the hook for bad investments in power plants that come with environmental cleanup costs.
“The issue is, not to use that legal process as a means to shift the millions if not billions of dollars’ worth of expenses away from the company to consumers," Munson said.
FirstEnergy Solutions will submit a new bankruptcy request. It plans to shut its plants down unless legislative reforms are made. Meanwhile, Ohio lawmakers are considering a possible nuclear plant bailout.
