Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel

Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel

Northwest Ohio Aggregation Coalition

Appalachian People’s Action Coalition

Citizen Power

Cleveland Housing Network

Communities United for Action

Consumers for Fair Utility Rates

Edgemont Neighborhood Coalition of Dayton

Empowerment Center of Greater Cleveland

Environment Ohio

Greater Ohio

Neighborhood Environmental Coalition

Ohio Farmers’ Union

Ohio Interfaith Power and Light

Ohio Partners for Affordable Energy

Ohio State Legal Services Association

Sierra Club

OCEA: Energy efficiency, renewable energy rules need loopholes closed; annual resource plans must be mandatory

COLUMBUS, Ohio – September 10, 2008 – Energy efficiency and renewable energy are two of the most important, cost-effective components to diversify Ohio’s portfolio of energy resources and can be done cost effectively. The Ohio Consumer and Environmental Advocates (OCEA) supports the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) staff recommendation that utilities must annually report what plans they have to meet electricity demand. The OCEA wants to ensure that the rules will indeed result in the vision the Ohio legislature had when it developed the state’s new energy policy.

The OCEA, a group of 17 advocates, wants to ensure that all electric utilities are required to include energy efficiency and renewable energy in their mix of electric service and not able to circumvent the standards. The OCEA filed comments with the PUCO today to ensure the rules the PUCO staff proposed last month keep the public’s interest in mind.

Among the improvements the advocates want to see include:

• Independent energy efficiency program evaluations to ensure benchmarks are met and necessary adjustments can be made;

• Renewable energy purchased as a low cost option;

• Annual filings by each utility to specify what least cost and least risk resources it plans to use to meet its electric demand and report on its progress to meeting the energy efficiency and renewable energy requirements.

“Energy efficiency is one of the most important and least costly activities utilities and consumers can invest in,” said Janine Migden-Ostrander, Consumers’ Counsel. “There must be solid rules in place that will provide Ohioans with cost effective and beneficial energy efficiency programs. Using less energy is the easiest way to ensure customer bills are reasonable and provides customers with the tools to control their usage.”

According to Amy Gomberg, Environment Ohio program director, “As the Governor and General Assembly recognized, developing Ohio’s renewable energy and energy efficiency resources provides an incredible opportunity to grow new jobs, reduce air pollution and become more energy independent. To seal the deal for clean energy in Ohio, we encourage the Public Utilities Commission to ensure that Ohio’s energy law is implemented in a fair and transparent way and without loopholes that would let Ohio’s utilities or businesses off the hook for reducing our energy usage and developing more clean sources of power.”

“Through energy efficiency, Ohio's economy can be modernized and transformed,” said Jen Miller, conservation program coordinator at the Sierra Club Ohio Chapter. “These rules move us toward the realization of the vision set forth by Governor Strickland and the Ohio General Assembly in Senate Bill 221. Implemented correctly, the rules should cut electricity costs, fight global warming, and create green jobs.”

Contacts:

• Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel: Ryan Lippe, 614-466-7269

• Northwest Ohio Aggregation Coalition: Leslie Kovacik, 419-245-1893

• Appalachian People's Action Coalition, Ohio State Legal Services Association: Mike Smalz, 614-221-7201

• Citizen Power: David Hughes, 412-421-6072

• Citizens’ Coalition (Consumers for Fair Utility Rates, Cleveland Housing Network, Empowerment Center of Greater Cleveland, Neighborhood Environmental Coalition): Tim Walters, 216-631-5800

• Communities United for Action: Noel Morgan, 513-362-2837

• Edgemont Neighborhood Coalition: Ellis Jacobs, 937-535-4419

• Environment Ohio: Amy Gomberg, 614-460-8732

• Greater Ohio: Gene Krebs, 614-258-1713 ext 30 or 513-739-2412 (cell)

• Ohio Farmers’ Union: Joe Logan, 614-221-9520

• Ohio Interfaith Power and Light: Greg Hitzhusen 607-339-6419

• Ohio Partners for Affordable Energy: Dave Rinebolt, 614-975-8692

• Sierra Club: Jen Miller, 614-461-0734 x304