nuclear-news

Now, the veil is off.

Changes made to House Bill 6 last week would direct most of the $197.6 million collected from new fees on Ohioans’ electric bills to Akron-based FirstEnergy Solutions, which operates two nuclear plants outside Toledo and Cleveland.

Renewable energy companies from wind to solar would not get a cut of this “Ohio Clean Air Program.”

In a double blow, lawmakers also axed current programs that encourage electricity providers to purchase renewable energy and help customers become more energy efficient.

And lawmakers ensured utilities could charge customers a fee for two coal plants operated by Piketon-based Ohio Valley Electric Corporation through 2030. The plants are located in Gallipolis and Madison, Indiana.    Wednesday’s changes likely jettisoned any hope of widespread Democratic support.

“It’s now just straight-up corporate welfare,” said Rep. Kristin Boggs, the Ohio House’s No. 2 Democrat. “I don’t know how else to describe it.”

That means Speaker Larry Householder, R-Glenford in Perry County, must rely on fellow Republicans to pass the energy bill – a divergence from his recent bipartisan strategy. And it’s not clear he has the votes yet. ……

opponents of the bill argue that investing in energy efficiency has saved the state $5.1 billion since 2009. No energy efficiency requirements will lead to higher electrical bills, environmental groups say.  …….

Should Ohio bail out FirstEnergy?

At the heart of the debate is whether Ohio taxpayers should save FirstEnergy Solutions.

The company, which was spun off from parent FirstEnergy Corp., filed for bankruptcy in March 2018 with more than $2.8 billion in debt.

Without help from taxpayers, FirstEnergy Solutions says the company will close its two nuclear plants in Ohio: Davis-Besse, east of Toledo, in May 2020 and Perry, east of Cleveland, in May 2021……..

 opponents of the bailout say FirstEnergy made poor business decisions by investing in coal and nuclear plants rather than diversifying its energy portfolio. The company’s financial situation is not Ohio ratepayers’ problem.

Nuclear energy is costly compared to natural gas, coal and some renewable energy. Nuclear plants require security, disaster plans and maintenance that other plants do not. That has made nuclear energy dependent on subsidies to survive nationwide………

FirstEnergy and pro-FirstEnergy groups have spent millions on campaign contributions, Facebook advertisements and television spots to encourage a deal that saves the plants.

Since 2015, FirstEnergy’s political action committee has given more than $1.74 million to Ohio political candidates and parties, according to an Enquirer analysis of campaign finance data.

Recipients of those contributions include Householder, Senate President Larry Obhof and Gov. Mike DeWine – the three politicians with the power to make a FirstEnergy bailout happen. https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/2019/05/27/ohio-energy-no-money-wind-solar-just-nuclear-plants/3739552002/