OCC Newsletter – Spring 2026

Welcome to the Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel’s (OCC) email newsletter! We think you’ll find the information below useful.

In This Issue:

• OCC Annual Report 2025

• Message from Ohio Consumers’ Counsel Maureen Willis

• Landmark Ohio Supreme Court Decision Will Protect Submetered Consumers

• Protecting Ohioans from Data Center Costs

• Utility Line Clearing and Power Outages

• Consumer Alerts

• Legislative News

• Follow us on Nextdoor and LinkedIn!

Message from Ohio Consumers’ Counsel Maureen Willis

As the Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel enters its 50th year of service, 2025 stands out as a defining year for utility accountability in Ohio.

Landmark Ohio Supreme Court Decision Will Protect Submetered Consumers

In a landmark victory for submetered Ohio apartment and condo residents, the Ohio Supreme Court has ruled that "submetering" companies must finally be regulated as public utilities. For years, these companies operated in a legal gray area, selling essential utilities without the oversight, rate scrutiny, and consumer protections required of traditional utility companies.

This decision ends that practice, ensuring that submetered consumers are no longer at risk of arbitrary pricing and are now legally entitled to the same billing transparency, dispute rights, disconnection protections, and assistance programs as any other residential utility consumer in the state.

To learn more about submetering and the efforts currently ongoing in the Ohio Legislature, click the button below.

Protecting Ohioans from Data Center Costs

OCC is urging state regulators to shield residential customers from "unprecedented" energy costs driven by the rapid expansion of data centers in Ohio in the AEP case. A single facility can use as much power as 100,000 homes, making it vital that big tech companies pay their own way. In a recent filing with the PUCO (Case No. 26-0113-EL-ATA), OCC advocated for a “cost-causer pays" approach to ensure that everyday Ohioans do not see their rates rise to subsidize the infrastructure required by these global corporations.

To keep your utility rates fair, OCC is calling for interim protections including dedicated energy auctions, a 180-day advance notice requirement, and spot market accountability for large users. These measures link expensive price spikes directly to the companies that cause them. OCC’s ultimate goal is a clear "no cost" mandate where residential consumers pay nothing for the energy procurement or infrastructure upgrades required by these massive facilities.

Utility Line Clearing and Power Outages

Spring and summer storms increase the risk of power outages across Ohio. Utilities are required to maintain their lines, provide safe and reliable power and limit interruptions whenever possible. This includes cutting back or trimming branches, limbs, or even entire trees within the utilities’ right-of-way, even on private property.

Get answers with OCC’s Utility Line Clearing and Tree Trimming and Power Outage Tips and Consumer Rights fact sheets.

Consumer Alerts

As affordability is at the forefront for Ohio utility consumers, some utilities are seeking new rate increases. These increases make utility bills less affordable.

It is important for consumers to participate in these rate cases, making their voices heard by attending public hearings or filing comments. Currently the PUCO has not scheduled public hearings, but when they do, OCC will keep you posted.

Coming Soon…

Both Duke and FirstEnergy have also recently filed for rate increases. OCC will update information as it becomes available.

These proposals are particularly concerning because it could raise fixed monthly charges that consumers must pay regardless of how much they use, meaning families cannot lower their bills through conservation.

Visit our Consumer Alerts page to stay up to date at www.occ.ohio.gov/consumer-alerts.

Legislative News

House Bill 303 – Community Energy

Under this bill, residential consumers would be able to take part in community energy programs, such as solar and wind, without the need to install equipment on their home or property. The more power generated by these small community generation sources, the more money participants can save. To learn more about OCC’s effort on this bill, go to our most recent testimony or watch the video.

House Bill 427 – Voluntary Electric Demand Response

This bill would allow participants to opt into a program to reduce their usage and get a bill credit. When there is less power consumed, there is less strain on the grid. Less strain leads to fewer blackouts and more reliable utility service. Read OCC’s testimony or watch the video to learn more.