OEC Statement on Indictment of Former PUCO Chair Sam Randazzo

Emily Bacha, Vice President of Public Affairs, December 4, 2023

Columbus, OH — Former Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) Chair Sam Randazzo self-surrendered at U.S. District Court in Cincinnati today following an 11-count indictment by a federal grand jury.

In 2019, the OEC and partners issued a letter to Gov. DeWine opposing the appointment of Mr. Randazzo given his “extreme bias demonstrated through a storied history of anti-clean energy efforts on multiple fronts and over many years.”

Following the corrupt passage of House Bill 6 as well as subsequent investigations and indictments, the OEC and the Environmental Law & Policy Center called for an expanded PUCO investigation into allegations of whether FirstEnergy and its affiliates used ratepayer money to improperly influence Randazzo and his decisions.

The following quote can be attributed, in whole or in part, to Nolan Rutschilling, Managing Director of Energy Policy for the Ohio Environmental Council (OEC):

“The OEC and our partners in the fight for environmental and energy justice have raised concerns around Sam Randazzo since before his appointment to lead the PUCO. This latest indictment in the ongoing utility corruption scandal is not surprising. We await more information regarding the former Chair’s dealings, but one thing is clear: the actions of greedy utility companies and corrupt state officials have hurt Ohioans. Ohioans deserve comprehensive action to ensure the PUCO does its job to hold utilities accountable and move us toward a reliable, sustainable energy grid, rather than letting companies continue to take advantage of Ohioans.”