SOLARTODAY April 3, 2014
Gongwer News Service: Ohio Senate Republicans last week introduced a plan to freeze Ohio’s green energy requirements at current levels to buy time for a study commission to determine whether further changes to the controversial law are warranted.
The proposal (SB 310) sponsored by Sen. Troy Balderson (R-Zanesville) would limit the state’s energy efficiency requirements to a 4.2% reduction from when the 2008 law took place. The legislation also freezes the renewable requirement at the current 2.5% of the total amount of electricity sold by Ohio’s utilities.
Meanwhile, a 21-member study committee would review the law and recommend possible changes to the General Assembly by the end of 2015.
The bill comes after months of contentious hearings on Sen. Bill Seitz’s (R-Cincinnati) proposed overhaul of the law, which requires electric utilities to cut customer consumption 22% by 2025 and sell 12.5% of their power from renewable resources.
Senate President Keith Faber (R-Celina) said nearly two months ago that the chamber was revisiting FirstEnergy Corp.’s original proposal to freeze the green energy standards at current levels. (See Gongwer Ohio Report, February 3, 2014).
Details in Cincinnatti Enquirer.