Office of Consumers Counsel
Manufacturers, consumers blast plan to make ratepayers subsidize charging stations
The number of electric vehicles on U.S. roadways is expected to ramp up dramatically in the coming years, and with it the number of charging stations will have to grow as well. Now groups representing Ohio utility consumers and manufacturers are trying to kill a plan that would force ratepayers to finance the electricity infrastructure […]
Analysis: Where are Ohio’s guardrails against corruption?
This is the first of three analysis pieces from former PUCO Commissioner Ashley C. Brown analyzing the failures and deficiencies in Ohio’s utility regulation and anti-corruption guardrails. Perhaps the most notable — but least commented on — aspect of the House Bill 6 bribery scandal is the almost complete absence of any meaningful state guardrails […]
PUCO report criticizes AEP communication, tree trimming after summer outages
The Public Utility Commission of Ohio has issued a report on a series of power outages last summer. Those outages stemmed from a massive windstorm known as a derecho followed by a heat wave with 90+ degree temperatures. Outages occurred throughout the state, but fell heaviest on communities in Columbus, many of them poor. The […]
Consumer, environmental groups slam proposed utility increase
Several environmental and consumer groups called a press conference Wednesday in front of Columbia Gas’s Columbus headquarters to give the company a lump of coal for Christmas. Their issue? Columbia Gas and some other stakeholders have agreed to allow Columbia to increase its fixed charges by more than 50% — up to $57 a month […]
Columbia Gas poised to get big rate increase
Amid high consumer inflation and spiking energy costs, Columbia Gas of Ohio could start charging each Ohio customer much more in fixed costs. And, while outside advocacy groups are opposing the move, it would be doing so with the support of the state’s official consumer representative. A “stipulation” that is now before the Public Utilities […]