Big coal was handed a big defeat in Ohio thanks to strong opposition from thousands of concerned citizens in central Ohio and the rest of the state.
  In a case before the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO), American Electric Power (AEP) requested to increase its customers’ electric bills to pay for aging coal plants. Coal, which generates nearly 70 percent of electricity in Ohio, causes major air pollution and negatively impacts public health while contributing to climate change.
  In particular, AEP wanted to charge customers an estimated $117 million, according to the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel, to keep two dirty, expensive coal plants in operation. These coal plants (Kyger Creek in Cheshire, Ohio and Clifty Creek in Madison, Indiana) were built in the early 1950s. They are not competitive with today’s market prices for electricity, and they spew toxic pollution into our air and water.
  The bailout attempt drew serious criticism from residential and business electricity consumers alike. In October, a group of 12 Ohio businesses, including Lowe’s Home Improvement, Staples Inc. and Macy’s Inc., sent a letter urging the PUCO to reject the bailouts proposal. The businesses cited a poll by Public Policy Partners showing a strong percentage of Ohio electricity customers favor clean, renewable energy sources to power the state -- and do not support paying more to keep aging coal plants in operation.
  On February 25, in a unanimous decision, the PUCO rejected AEP’s request to bail out its ownership stake in the Kyger Creek and Clifty Creek coal plants. But while the PUCO’s denial of AEP’s request is a significant win, it is not a complete victory. Threats to Ohioans’ health and pocketbooks remain.
  In the same decision, the PUCO argued that it is within its authority to approve power purchase agreements with specific energy plants, the mechanism by which AEP would have increased rates to bail out Kyger Creek and Clifty Creek. Essentially, this leaves the door open for electric utilities to try to get bailouts for other old plants in the future. Already, AEP has filed a plan with an additional four coal plants while FirstEnergy is similarly seeking to bail out its Sammis coal plant and its Davis-Besse nuclear plant.
  While the Commission in theory left open the door for future bailouts, the fact the PUCO found AEP's proposal unreasonable and not in the public interest, makes it very likely it will reach the same conclusion on FirstEnergy's and AEP's second proposal. Those plans are even more risky and potentially more costly for consumers.
  While consumers should celebrate the recent decision on AEP, we must also stay alert to tactics by the utility to push its fossil fuel addiction forward. The PUCO has set a precedent to reject the other coal bailouts, and we need to make sure that happens. There is no room for further debate on dirty bailouts or any other schemes Ohio's electric utilities might have up their sleeves to try to find a different way to prop up these aging coal plants.
  On June 15, Sierra Club, along with a number of organizations including Ohio Citizen Action, Public Citizen, the Ohio Organizing Collaborative, and others, will hold a day of action against utility bailout efforts starting with a rally at the PUCO in downtown Columbus. If you are interested in participating, please contact Samantha Allen at Samantha.Allen@SierraClub.org or 614-461-0734 ext 313.
  Together, we can knock out these dirty bailouts once and for all and start powering Ohio the right way.