Not A Good Deal for Consumers:
Ohio Consumers’ Counsel (OCC) – Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) Oppose H.B. 201
House Bill 201 was amended Dec. 12, 2023, paving the way for utilities to collect more and more money from utility consumers in the name of economic development.
Amended Bill 201 expands the costs to be collected from consumers. And it lacks a strict low annual limit on charges to consumers. Amended Bill 201 allows the use of an accounting gimmick – deferral accounting—to get around the $1.50 monthly cap and charge consumers more over an extended period of time.
Under the bill, residential consumers pay the same as big businesses. That is unfair. And the bill does not actually require job creation or added investment, while allowing the utilities and the PUCO to choose winners and losers.
The Ohio Consumers’ Counsel wrote to the Senate President, Senate Minority Leader and Chair, Vice Chair and Ranking Member of the Energy & Public Utilities Committee to oppose this amendment. Here is a link to that letter: Read the letter from OCC
In addition, the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association also wrote a letter in opposition to the amendment. Here is a link to that letter: Read the letter from OMA
Here is a link to the Amended HB 201