State Reps. David Thomas and Tristan Rader Submit a Letter Urging PUCO to Reject FirstEnergy's Proposal and Protect Ohio's Electric Standards

Representatives David Thomas (R-Jefferson) and Tristan Rader (D-Lakewood) along with 17 members of the House Energy Committee sent a letter to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) urging the Commission to reject FirstEnergy's request to weaken the state's electric reliability standards.

This letter responds to FirstEnergy's proposal in Case No. 24-1112-EL-ESS, which would allow longer and more frequent electric service interruptions. Lawmakers caution that lowering reliability standards would have negative economic, public safety, and consumer impact across the state.

The representatives emphasize that Ohio ratepayers have invested billions of dollars in transmission, distribution, and grid modernization with the expectation of improved reliability. They argue that weakening standards would undermine those investments and shift the costs of outages onto families, workers, and small businesses.

"Now is not the time to lower reliability standards. We should continue to move in the right direction of reliability and service for the taxpayers who have already paid to make the grid more reliable," said Representative Thomas.

While acknowledging challenges such as aging infrastructure and severe weather, the lawmakers stress that the appropriate response is investment and accountability, not reduced performance expectations. They also note that recent legislative action, including House Bill 15, reflects the General Assembly's commitment to grid reliability.

"FirstEnergy is asking for permission to fail. They want weaker reliability rules so they can keep blacking out neighborhoods without consequences, while families lose food, miss work, and sit in the dark. Ohio deserves a grid that works, not a utility that dodges accountability," said Representative Tristan Rader.

The letter urges PUCO to maintain strong, enforceable reliability standards and to continue prioritizing consumer protection, transparency, and accountability in its review of the proposal.