Update: This week the PUCO heard intervenor testimony on Staff’s counterproposal to create a credit support rider.  The purpose of the credit support rider is to enable FirstEnergy’s parent company to maintain an investment grade credit rating.

OMA Energy Group witness Thomas Lause of member company Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. testified that the credit support rider has the same impact on customers, including manufacturing companies, as FirstEnergy’s modified Rider RRS proposal. He further explained that Staff’s counterproposal still results in an anticompetitive subsidy and corporate bailout to the detriment of customers.

Over the next few days FirstEnergy will file witness testimony in response to intervening parties’ criticisms of its modified Rider RRS proposal as well as in response to Staff’s counterproposal to create the credit support rider. Depositions of these FirstEnergy witnesses are expected to occur next week.