House Energy Committee hears broad proponent testimony for HB 303 community energy pilot

The Ohio House Energy Committee heard multiple hours of proponent testimony on House Bill 303 on the distribution-connected community energy pilot program, with developers, trade groups, environmental advocates, labor and local organizers describing the bill as a way to add generation quickly, lower subscribers’ bills and bring private investment into local communities.

Carlo Caballero, new markets director for the trade association CCSA, told the committee the bill establishes a pilot that would allow distributed generation to “plug directly into the distribution grid” and said the program is capped at 1,500 megawatts (1,000 megawatts for open‑lands development and 500 megawatts reserved for distressed sites, brownfields and commercial rooftops). “Community energy saves customers money with no mandates,” Caballero said, adding that the projects operate under a subscription model and do not require direct subsidies.

The bill’s backers emphasized a package of consumer protections included in the draft: guaranteed savings for subscribers, standardized disclosures, no upfront costs or credit checks for subscribers, portability within an electric distribution utility (EDU) territory, and no early termination fees. Nolan Rutschland, managing director of energy…