Name: Did FirstEnergy spend ratepayer money to secure nuclear bailout? Ohio consumer watchdog wants to know
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Did FirstEnergy spend ratepayer money to secure nuclear bailout? Ohio consumer watchdog wants to know

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&nbsp;On Tuesday, Ohio Consumers' Counsel Bruce Weston asked the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, which oversees utilities such as FirstEnergy, to audit the Akron-based company.A federal investigation alleges an energy company, believed to be FirstEnergy and its affiliates, spent nearly $61 million to secure a $1.3 billion bailout for two northern Ohio nuclear plants.But whose money paid for the scheme?The Ohio Consumers' Counsel, a ratepayer watchdog, wants to make sure utility customers didn't foot the bill.On Tuesday, Ohio Consumers' Counsel Bruce Weston asked the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, which oversees utilities such as FirstEnergy, to audit the Akron-based company.The counsel wants the PUCO to dig into several topics:Did FirstEnergy and its affiliated companies use money collected from consumers to help pass and defend House Bill 6, the law which subsidizes nuclear energy?Did FirstEnergy and its affiliated companies use money from a specific fee on customers' bills improperly?Are FirstEnergy and its affiliates too connected?To answer those questions, the consumers' counsel wants the PUCO to appoint an independent auditor. FirstEnergy is conducting its own internal investigation, but that isn't enough, Weston argued&nbsp;in Tuesday's motion.FirstEnergy has an opportunity to respond to the motion before the PUCO decides whether or not to act on it.&nbsp;A FirstEnergy spokeswoman said the company cannot&nbsp;comment on pending litigation&nbsp;but will respond to the motion by the Sept.&nbsp;23 deadline.The Ohio Consumers' Counsel wants to probe whether millions collected from a&nbsp;fee on FirstEnergy customers' bills, called a "distribution modernization rider," was used improperly&nbsp;– either to pay for operations outside of Ohio or for House Bill 6 efforts.The rider was on FirstEnergy customers' bills from January 2017 until July 2019, when the Ohio Supreme Court found it unlawful and ordered the PUCO to remove it. However, consumers were not refunded for the fee, which generated between&nbsp;$168 million to $204 million each year.Before the Ohio Supreme Court's decision, a PUCO-hired auditor found money collected from the rider appeared to benefit companies outside Ohio and paid for FirstEnergy shareholders' dividends.However, the PUCO closed that probe&nbsp;after the Ohio Supreme Court decision.&nbsp;The Ohio Consumers' Counsel now argues that the audit should be reopened."The PUCO should require FirstEnergy to show that money it collected from consumers, including the distribution modernization charge money, was not improperly used regarding House Bill 6 and that it did not violate any utility regulatory laws or PUCO orders regarding House Bill 6," according to Weston's motion.The counsel also wants to investigate FirstEnergy's corporate governance to ensure it wasn't overly influenced by parent or sister companies.The PUCO has faced criticism over the years for being too utility-friendly.&nbsp;The Ohio Consumers Power Alliance, which describes itself a statewide consumer advocacy group, has called for the&nbsp;removal of Gov. Mike DeWine-appointed PUCO chairman Sam Randazzo because his companies did business with&nbsp;FirstEnergy Solutions.Choose the plan that’s right for you. Digital access or digital and print delivery.

&nbsp;On Tuesday, Ohio Consumers' Counsel Bruce Weston asked the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, which oversees utilities such as FirstEnergy, to audit the Akron-based company.A federal investigation alleges an energy company, believed to be FirstEnergy and its affiliates, spent nearly $61 million to secure a $1.3 billion bailout for two northern Ohio nuclear plants.But whose money paid for the scheme?The Ohio Consumers' Counsel, a ratepayer watchdog, wants to make sure utility customers didn't foot the bill.On Tuesday, Ohio Consumers' Counsel Bruce Weston asked the Public Utilities...

Did FirstEnergy spend ratepayer money to secure nuclear bailout? Ohio consumer watchdog wants to know

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