Weinstein Celebrates Passage of Energy Overhaul Legislation

Today, state Senator Casey Weinstein (D-Hudson) commended the Ohio Senate’s passage of Senate Bill 2, which makes significant changes to Ohio’s energy policies to protect consumers, increase power generation, and improve the state’s electric grid.

“As someone who has spent years working to lower energy costs for Ohioans, I’m proud of the progress we’ve made, especially in ending the OVEC bailout that sent hundreds of thousands of dollars a day to support a defunct coal plant in Indiana,” said Weinstein. “This was a massive waste of taxpayer money, and stopping this financial drain is a victory for families across Ohio. As a long-time advocate for clean and renewable energy, I’m also excited about the school energy efficiency program. This initiative will allow schools to benefit from solar energy, helping them save money while promoting a sustainable future. It’s a crucial step toward a cleaner, more affordable energy landscape for Ohio.”

If passed, Senate Bill 2 would:

• Promote accountability and transparency for consumers by requiring utilities to routinely come in for rate cases and justify how they spend ratepayer-collected money;
• Immediately end the “Legacy Generation Rider” so that Ohioans no longer have to foot the bill for OVEC subsidies, saving Ohio ratepayers nearly $450,000 per day;
• Create a permissive school energy efficiency loan program to reduce energy costs for public schools; and
• Protect consumers by codifying that they receive refunds for improper charges.

Senate Bill 2 now heads to the Ohio House of Representatives for consideration.