COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — The state agency that watches utilities on behalf of consumers is pulling back on its request for investigations by the Public Utilities Commission of its former chair and of FirstEnergy. This comes after Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost advised the PUCO to halt four investigations related to the nuclear power plant bailout law known as House Bill 6.
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The advocate for consumers of Ohio utilities joins the AG in asking PUCO to pause FirstEnergy probes
By: Karen Kasler | Statehouse News Bureau
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“The Attorney General’s concern, and I think it’s a very legitimate concern and we most certainly appreciate the Attorney General’s attention to this, is that the state and federal cases, the criminal cases not be interfered with potentially dismissed,” Willis said. “We now have a serious legal issue that the attorney general has discovered and raised. So I think things have changed and we’re not gonna be unreasonable and we’re not gonna put the criminal cases at risk by our behavior in front of the PUCO.”
Willis said consumers still deserve answers whether Randazzo’s actions had an effect on their electric rates, but the cases before the PUCO can wait.
“Clearly, we have confidence and trust in the Ohio Attorney General’s opinion of what could happen. So, I’d say at this point, we’re willing to be cautious,” Willis said.
Yost’s letter asks for a pause while criminal charges are pending against the three. But Willis says she doesn’t think civil lawsuits are affected.