Decision rewards FirstEnergy’s dirty bets and gives them millions to cover their mistakes

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) today voted to increase the electric bills of millions of Ohioans in order to prop up FirstEnergy after the state’s largest utility made a series of bad bets, doubled down on dirty energy, and threatened to leave the state. The decision comes after the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) rejected the previous PUCO approved FirstEnergy subsidy.

In response to the decision, Trish Demeter, Managing Director of Energy Programs for the Ohio Environmental Council issued the following statement:

“For years, FirstEnergy doubled down on dirty energy and led the effort to kill Ohio’s clean energy standards, which made them less competitive in today’s market. Now their customers will be on the hook for millions of dollars for mistakes the company made while Ohio loses jobs as we become less competitive in an energy market that is favoring cleaner alternatives. Ohioans deserve better than this. It’s past time for our elected leaders to get serious about putting Ohio back on track to be a clean energy leader.”