Akron, Summit County Leaders Work To Save Nuclear Plants

Summit County officials have reached out to Ohio leaders, asking them to find a way to keep the Davis-Besse and Perry nuclear power plants open.

The March 21 letter is addressed to Gov. Mike DeWine, Senate leader Larry Obhof and House Speaker Larry Householder from Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro, Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan, Greater Akron Chamber President and CEO Steve Millard, and Tri-County Regional Labor Council Executive Secretary-Treasurer David Prentice.

The Summit County leaders ask for the legislation First Energy Solutions says will keep its struggling plants open. They say the plants create jobs, help clean energy efforts and secure Ohio’s power supply.

The plant closures are related to the company’s bankruptcy filing last year.

While nuclear power represents 90 percent of zero-emission electricity in Ohio, the coal or gas plants that would replace them could contribute 9 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year, the letter states.

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