House Energy Committee adopts Sub Bill 6 to House Bill 15 after final proponent testimony

The House Energy Committee on Monday adopted Sub Bill 6 to House Bill 15 and heard more than a dozen proponent witnesses on a package of changes to Ohio electric regulation that supporters said would protect consumers, encourage private investment and improve grid transparency.

The substitute bill, adopted without objection during the committee’s sixth hearing, would change multiple pieces of Ohio utility law: it restores a 30‑day window for rate‑case objections after a staff report, extends certain PUCO (Public Utilities Commission of Ohio) review windows, bars non‑bypassable riders in one statutory section, adds provisions to allow temporary rate decreases pending PUCO action, requires annual ‘‘true‑ups’’ so customers are charged for actual rather than projected investments, and creates a market‑facing community energy pilot program on the distribution system. The substitute also directs new scrutiny, disclosure and competitive‑bidding requirements for supplemental transmission projects that have been the subject of stakeholder concern.

Why it matters: House Bill 15 touches large customer bills, utility investment incentives and how new generation connects to the grid. Supporters say it will restore the competitive market established in 1999, remove subsidies that shifted costs to captive utility customers, and speed some local projects; opponents at prior hearings raised concerns about refunds and consumer protections. The committee set a target to finish work so the bill can be on the House floor next Wednesday.

Major provisions and committee discussion

- Rate‑case timing and true‑ups: Vice Chair Klopfenstein explained Sub Bill 6 ‘‘reverts back to the current law for when rate case objections are due after the staff report is filed. It goes back to 30 days’’ and extends the statutory approval window from 346 days to 360 days. The substitute also adds a requirement to ‘‘true up’’ forecasted test years so customers ultimately pay for actual rather than projected investments. Proponents and industry witnesses described those changes as restoring…