COLUMBUS— State Rep. Shane Wilkin (R-91st District) announced Tuesday that a plan “which will save Ohio’s electric ratepayers $1.3 billion” has been approved by the Ohio House of Representatives.
The measure, House Bill 6, will also preserve Ohio jobs and support zero carbon electric generation to protect Ohio’s environment, according to a news release from Wilkin’s office.
“House Bill 6 supports large scale solar projects such as the projects being built in Highland County,” he said. “Not only will this support local jobs and our local manufacturing supply chain, but it will also help increase our generation of zero carbon electricity here in Ohio.”
The legislation, the result of nearly 65 hours of testimony in the legislature, was given final approval by the House, which concurred in changes made by the Senate.
The bill was signed Tuesday afternoon by Gov. Mike DeWine.
Electric ratepayers will save more than $1.3 billion over the next nine years under the plan, Wilkin stated; the average residential ratepayer will see an immediate reduction in their bill starting in 2020. Starting in 2021, the average ratepayer will save $2.77 per month and by 2028 they will save $3.78 per month.
The legislation phases out all of Ohio’s “expensive, failed electric mandates”, and in its place, a reduced flat charge will support zero carbon energy.
The legislation will support the generation of zero carbon electricity in Ohio, specifically from nuclear as well as large-scale solar installations.
The state’s two nuclear plants – Davis-Besse and Perry, both in northern Ohio – generate approximately 15 percent of Ohio’s electricity and 90 percent of the state’s zero carbon energy.
More than 4,000 jobs are tied to the state’s nuclear industry, which means more than $500 million to Ohio’s gross domestic product.
The plan will also support the continued development of large-scale solar projects in Ohio, which will increase the amount of zero carbon power generated in Ohio.
