Governing Board Chairman Message

In 2007, the Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel (OCC) represented the interests of Ohio’s 4.5 million households in state and federal cases as well as through the General Assembly’s legislative process.

As the residential utility consumer advocate, Consumers’ Counsel Janine Migden-Ostrander and her professional staff exemplified the agency’s mission – to advocate for consumers through representation and education in a variety of forums. Among those forums were the Ohio Senate and House of Representatives, particularly with respect to Senate Bill 221, the state’s energy policy legislation. Clearly, the legislation will affect the landscape of Ohio’s electricity market and impact residential consumers for years – if not decades – into the future.

The OCC’s work on Senate Bill 221 spanned the agency’s staff, from Janine Migden-Ostrander’s testimony in front of legislative committees to its staff’s legal and analytical work drafting proposed amendments and determining the affects on residential consumers’ electric rates.

Communicating with consumers, stakeholders and representative agencies through outreach and education efforts and the media was also a critical part of how the OCC effectively presented the consumer point-of-view across Ohio. At the forefront of the OCC’s position was the need for Ohioans to be provided the lowest cost energy option and that we plan for our energy future by promoting the inclusion of alternative energy and energy efficiency in our portfolio of options. These positions have had the strong support of the entire Governing Board.

Significant accomplishments of the OCC have been a direct result of its leadership in the areas of renewable energy and energy efficiency. Recognizing the untapped potential for green sources such as wind, solar and biomass, the OCC advocated for consumers to have green pricing options. Through negotiations with American Electric Power, Duke Energy and FirstEnergy, customers are now able to purchase renewable energy credits to sustain and enhance the market for green power. Additionally, the OCC worked with several utilities to implement energy efficiency programs.

Likewise, new programs have been put into place to provide many electric customers with low-cost energy efficiency audits and other programs to empower them to better manage their usage and save money.

In the telecommunications industry, the OCC opposed requests by AT&T, Cincinnati Bell and Embarq to be able to raise the monthly price that consumers pay for basic local service and basic Caller ID in some service areas through “alternative regulation.” While we see the benefits of competition for more expensive packages of telephone services, we also see very little in the way of competitive options for residents who simply want basic local service.

The Governing Board and the OCC advocate for consumers in all parts of Ohio to have access to wireless and broadband technologies where basic telephone service is being deregulated. On that note, we believe that all telephone customers – regardless of the technology used for service – should receive safeguards and protections to ensure adequate telephone service for all their calling needs, whether routine or emergency.

On behalf of the Governing Board, I extend our gratitude to Governor Ted Strickland and the Ohio General Assembly for restoring the ability of the OCC to assist consumers who call with complaints regarding their utility service. The office is once again working to resolve disputes when residential utility consumers contact OCC through its hotline, 1-877-PICKOCC (1-877-742-5622).

I also wish to thank Janine Migden-Ostrander, Deputy Consumers’ Counsel Bruce Weston and the hard-working staff at the OCC for their commitment to residential consumers and their passion for doing all that it takes to effectively represent the interest of consumers across Ohio.

The OCC 2007 Annual Report highlights the important work accomplished by the OCC and their advocacy efforts on behalf of residential utility consumers. The OCC is prepared to meet many challenges ahead in 2008, including cases that will determine utility rates for customers of Aqua Ohio, Columbia Gas of Ohio, Dominion East Ohio, Duke Energy, FirstEnergy, Ohio American Water, and Vectren Energy, among others.

I share the enthusiasm of OCC’s dedicated staff for representing the interests of Ohio consumers in the year ahead, and the Governing Board has confidence the agency will continue to excel in its mission.

Chairman, OCC Governing Board

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