This week, the House passed House Bill 79 to empower electric utilities at the expense of customers under the guise of boosting energy efficiency. Under the bill, electric utilities are given new authority to control renewable energy plants they do not own, including the ability to override and shut down competitively owned generation without the owner’s consent. This could include manufacturer-sited renewable energy and other intermittent resources.

The OMA expressed concern with the bill to the House Public Utilities Committee last year prior to its passage. 6/27/2024