Senate Energy Committee adopts substitute of SB 2 as working document after hours of testimony on refunds, three‑year rate plans and behind‑the‑meter generation

Summary

The Ohio Senate Energy Committee adopted a newly drafted substitute to Senate Bill 2 and heard proponent and opponent testimony on refund timing, utilities’ role in generation and a new three‑year rate-making structure that witnesses said could either improve investment certainty or risk higher costs for consumers.

The Ohio Senate Energy Committee on March 11 adopted a new substitute to Senate Bill 2 and labeled it the working document after the committee’s sponsor explained changes that redraw how the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio reviews utility rates and programs.

Senator Kevin Reineke moved to adopt the substitute (verbatim in the record: "I move to adopt substitute bill 0 3 3 3 dash 3"), and the chair declared the substitute agreed to "without objection." Reineke told the committee the sub-bill narrows the timing and scope of refunds (refunds would be issued on the date a court rules rates unlawful rather than back to the original rate-case approval date), reinstates PUCO audit language, prohibits discriminatory interruptible rates, implements staff‑suggested midpoint rates subject to refund during rate cases and establishes shot‑clock timelines for completeness and staff reports. He also described a provision allowing multi‑year (three‑year) rate proposals with annual true‑ups and said the substitute treats certain linear generation as a renewable source and energy storage like generation for tax purposes.

Proponents told the panel the changes would support reliability and…

Senate Energy Committee adopts substitute of SB 2 as working document after hours of testimony on refunds, three‑year rate plans and behind‑the‑meter generation

Summary

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