Senate Passes Lang Bill Declaring State Energy Policy: Affordable, Reliable, And Clean

COLUMBUS —The Ohio Senate passed Senate Bill 294, sponsored by State Senator George Lang (R-West Chester), which declares Ohio's official energy policy is to ensure affordable, reliable, and clean energy security.

"Ohio has long been at the forefront of energy policy, it's time we declared it official policy," said Senator Lang. "The declaration made in this legislation will ensure that state agencies take the priorities of our government into account and continue the growing, robust energy infrastructure improvements we have made in recent years."

SB 294 declares the public policy of Ohio is to ensure affordable, reliable, and clean energy security by requiring the Power Siting Board to do the following in all cases involving an application for a utility facility certificate:

• Employ affordable, reliable, and clean energy sources;
• Ensure that, except for energy generated by nuclear reaction, the state prioritizes domestic production;
• Minimize reliance on foreign adversary nations for critical materials of manufacturing by prioritizing infrastructure necessary to deliver energy to Ohioans; and
• Ensure the use of Ohioan- and American-built infrastructure and components to deliver energy to Ohio customers.

By defining affordable energy using consumer-focused metrics, this legislation prevents subsidies from materially inflating the affordability of certain forms of energy while ensuring both predictable and affordable energy for Ohio’s residents and businesses.

The Ohio Senate has sent SB 294 to the Ohio House for further consideration.

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