Ohio House incentivizes energy efficiency, natural gas pipes - The Cincinnati Enquirer

Ohio House incentivizes energy efficiency, natural gas pipes

Ohio House OKs ratepayer-funded energy efficiency plan. Calls nuclear energy 'green'

Bill would charge residential customers up to $1.50 each month to pay utilities for rebates and discounts on smart thermostats, energy-efficient appliances and other ways to reduce electricity use
Jessie Balmert

Ohio House lawmakers approved three energy bills Wednesday, ranging from offering incentives for building natural gas pipelines and installing smart thermostats to labeling nuclear energy green.

Each bill needs approval from the Ohio Senate and Gov. Mike DeWine to become law. Here's what they would do:

Energy efficiency bill clears House despite some GOP opposition

After months of delays, a bipartisan bill to incentivize energy efficiency cleared the Ohio House in a tight 50-45 vote despite opposition from several Republicans.

House Bill 79 would charge residential customers up to $1.50 each month to pay utilities for rebates and discounts on smart thermostats, energy-efficient appliances and other ways to reduce electricity use. Smart thermostats alone, which lower temperatures when residents aren't home, can save customers between 10% and 15% on their bills.

The goal: Reduce the amount of energy customers use, saving them money and reducing the likelihood of blackouts during hot days. "HB 79 is designed to promote the cheapest form of energy that exists: the energy that isn’t used by reason of conservation and efficiency," Rep. Bill Seitz, R-Green Township, said.

Customers could opt out of the program and the $1.50 fee, which would last up to five years. Before the program begins, customers would receive two notices in the mail about how to opt out.

Under the proposed changes, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio must approve utilities' energy efficiency ideas to ensure customers save more on their electric bills than they pay in monthly fees.

"No one will be required to buy a damn thing under this bill," said Seitz, adding that utilities can offer better discounts and rebates than the average Ohioan because of their size.

These changes would replace energy efficiency requirements axed in House Bill 6, an energy overhaul that included a $1 billion bailout of two nuclear plants then-owned by FirstEnergy Solutions. That legislation was at the heart of a sweeping pay-to-play scandal that landed former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder in prison for 20 years.

Seitz and Rep. Bride Rose Sweeney, D-Westlake, worked with environmentalists, energy users and Ohio utilities to craft a compromise, which Seitz emphasized was "new and improved" compared to Ohio's pre-House Bill 6 approach.

The bill was set for a vote in October, but at the last minute, it was pulled from the agenda after opposition from Americans for Prosperity-Ohio. "With energy costs already soaring, now is certainly not the time for additional riders on utility bills," AFP-Ohio's leaders told legislators.

Rep. Jean Schmidt, R-Loveland, reiterated that point on Wednesday. "This is not the time to charge Ohioans a $1.50 extra a month on their electric bill," said Schmidt, adding that Ohioans can turn off their lights to be more energy efficient. "Ohioans are smart enough to know they can reduce their energy cost."

Ohio House wants to incentivize building natural gas pipelines, allow tax breaks

The Ohio House passed House Bill 349, 63-33, which earmarks $20 million for loans to build natural gas pipelines in designated parts of the state. The proposed legislation also allows municipalities in those areas to offer tax breaks for companies to build in their communities.

"Ohio is a leader in natural gas production, but we are not a leader in delivering it to Ohio’s growing businesses and communities," said Rep. Tim Barhorst, R-Fort Loramie.

Opponents say natural gas companies don't need these incentives. "Natural gas companies need to pay their fair share of taxes to Ohio communities, and don’t need more funding for infrastructure that can damage our water and land," said Nolan Rutschilling, Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund's managing director of energy policy.

Rep. Terrence Upchurch, D-Cleveland, added that it was irresponsible to ask Ohioans to shoulder this financial burden. “House Bill 349 represents a significant financial giveaway to natural gas companies."

Ohio lawmakers say nuclear energy is green

The Ohio House passed House Bill 308, 87-10, to label nuclear energy as green energy.

Proponents of nuclear energy say it's a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels, which emit carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Congress recently passed legislation with bipartisan support to make it easier to build new nuclear reactors and maintain older ones.

The votes came after Ohio lawmakers defined natural gas as green energy in late 2022.

“Classifying nuclear energy as green energy makes sense," said Rep. Dick Stein, R-Norwalk. “Ohio wants to be a partner in this fast-growing nuclear renaissance.”

Opponents worry about nuclear waste and other safety concerns. But Rep. Sean Brennan, D-Parma, said technological advances and strict regulations have made nuclear energy one of the safest energy sources.

The former owner of Ohio's two nuclear plants was entangled in a pay-to-play scandal at the Ohio Statehouse that led to Householder's conviction.

Jessie Balmert is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.