After several positive hearings on the Ohio Senate’s landmark energy bill, a substitute bill introduced on Tuesday made several sweeping pro-utility changes that were harmful enough for OMA to withdraw its support of the bill.

Chief among them is the ability for Ohio’s largest utilities to provide so-called “behind the meter” power generation services, a move that takes a step backwards from competitive markets and deregulation in Ohio. The sub bill also made numerous changes to the ratemaking process, including allowing utilities to annually increase rates in a forecasted test period, resulting in the elimination of rate stability and certainty for customers.

The OMA’s energy counsel, Kim Bojko, denounced the changes, highlighting that they will make it difficult for energy-intensive users, like manufacturers, to locate or expand in Ohio due to uncertainty in rates and energy costs. 3/4/2025