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FirstEnergy, AEP and Their Opponents React to Federal Regulators Blocking The Coal Plant Bailout

photo of FirstEnergy building
Tim Rudell
/
WKSU

Federal regulators have blocked Akron-based FirstEnergy and Columbus-based American Electric Power from imposing controversial rate hikes  on customers to bring in money for struggling coal and nuclear plants.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission says the deals that state regulators approved last month for FirstEnergy and AEP aren’t valid unless they get federal approval. Among those celebrating is Todd Snitchler, who’s with a group of electricity generators that opposed the utilities plans.

Photo of a FirstEnergy coal power plant
Credit FIRST ENERGY / WIKIPEDIA
/
WIKIPEDIA
The plan approved by the PUCO would keep plants like Sammis operating.

“They’re not happy with the returns that they’re getting, despite the fact that both companies reported significant corporate earnings in the first quarter, (They) want to re-regulate to guarantee those earnings rather than compete. And ratepayers will lose.”
 
But AEP’s Terri Flora says the company stands behind its plan. “We believe it would survive FERC review, but we’re not interested in participating in what would be a very drawn out review process.”
 
AEP and FirstEnergy both say they’re evaluating their options, and Columbus Business First is reporting that the that the head of AEP is talking about selling its Ohio plants.

Karen is a lifelong Ohioan who has served as news director at WCBE-FM, assignment editor/overnight anchor at WBNS-TV, and afternoon drive anchor/assignment editor in WTAM-AM in Cleveland. In addition to her daily reporting for Ohio’s public radio stations, she’s reported for NPR, the BBC, ABC Radio News and other news outlets. She hosts and produces the Statehouse News Bureau’s weekly TV show “The State of Ohio”, which airs on PBS stations statewide. She’s also a frequent guest on WOSU TV’s “Columbus on the Record”, a regular panelist on “The Sound of Ideas” on ideastream in Cleveland, appeared on the inaugural edition of “Face the State” on WBNS-TV and occasionally reports for “PBS Newshour”. She’s often called to moderate debates, including the Columbus Metropolitan Club’s Issue 3/legal marijuana debate and its pre-primary mayoral debate, and the City Club of Cleveland’s US Senate debate in 2012.