The Ohio Channel

Link

Embed Code

Available Versions

To download a video: right-click on the version you'd like to save, then choose "Save Link As..." and save to your desktop.

Collections

The State of Ohio

Description

Senate Republicans override a DeWine budget veto. Food banks are watching for impacts from the federal government shutdown. And more on high electric bills, from the chair of the panel that regulates utilities. Guests are Joree Novotny leads the Ohio Association of Food Banks and Jenifer French from PUCO.

Markers Transcript

There are no markers for this video.

00:00:00	Support
00:00:00	for the Statehouse News Bureau
00:00:02	comes from Medical Mutual,
00:00:03	dedicated to the health
00:00:03	and well-being of Ohioans,
00:00:05	offering health insurance
00:00:05	plans, as well as dental,
00:00:08	vision and wellness programs
00:00:08	to help people
00:00:10	achieve their goals
00:00:10	and remain healthy.
00:00:12	More at Med mutual.com.
00:00:14	The law offices of Porter,
00:00:14	right, Morris and Arthur LLP.
00:00:17	Porter Wright is dedicated
00:00:17	to bringing inspired legal
00:00:21	outcomes to the Ohio business
00:00:21	community.
00:00:23	More at porterwright.com.
00:00:25	Porter Wright
00:00:25	inspired Every day
00:00:27	in Ohio Education Association,
00:00:27	representing 120,000
00:00:31	educators who are united
00:00:31	in their mission
00:00:33	to create the excellent
00:00:33	public schools.
00:00:35	Every child deserves
00:00:35	more at OHEA.org.
00:00:38	Senate Republicans
00:00:38	override a DeWine budget veto.
00:00:42	Food banks are watching
00:00:42	for impacts
00:00:44	from a federal government
00:00:44	shutdown
00:00:46	and more on high
00:00:46	electric bills
00:00:48	from the chair of the panel
00:00:48	that regulates utilities.
00:00:51	That's this
00:00:51	week in the state of Ohio.
00:01:12	Welcome to the state of Ohio.
00:01:14	I'm Karen Kasler.
00:01:15	Starting after this
00:01:15	fall's election, schools
00:01:17	and other political
00:01:17	subdivisions
00:01:19	will not be able to pass
00:01:19	certain kinds of tax levies,
00:01:22	after all.
00:01:23	But two Republicans
00:01:23	in the Ohio Senate
00:01:25	overrode one of governor
00:01:25	Mike DeWine 67 budget vetoes.
00:01:30	The override.
00:01:30	Let's stand
00:01:31	a budget provision
00:01:31	that eliminates, fix
00:01:33	some emergency and substitute
00:01:33	emergency levies,
00:01:36	as well as replacement levies.
00:01:38	Those replacement
00:01:39	levies factor in properties
00:01:39	rising valuations
00:01:42	unlike renewal levies, which
00:01:42	go off a property's value
00:01:45	when the initial levy
00:01:45	went through
00:01:47	even voting
00:01:47	to extend a replacement
00:01:49	levy at its original rate
00:01:51	might result in slightly
00:01:51	higher taxes.
00:01:53	Senate
00:01:53	president Rob McCauley said.
00:01:55	A lot of districts
00:01:55	are taking advantage
00:01:57	of that circumstances
00:01:58	and they're renewing them
00:01:59	in large part because a,
00:01:59	it's easier to pass a renewal
00:02:03	and it is, any other new levy
00:02:05	because people will look at it
00:02:05	and say,
00:02:06	that's the same thing
00:02:06	we've already passed.
00:02:08	But they're also
00:02:08	renewing them
00:02:10	because they're easier
00:02:10	to pass, because
00:02:12	they're called emergencies,
00:02:13	even though there may not
00:02:13	be an actual an emergency.
00:02:16	The school
00:02:17	districts also like
00:02:17	putting them on primarily
00:02:20	because they also,
00:02:21	well, maybe not primarily,
00:02:21	but one of the reasons that,
00:02:25	they're problematic,
00:02:25	in my opinion,
00:02:27	is because they don't count
00:02:27	towards the 20 mil floor,
00:02:30	meaning a school district can,
00:02:33	when the 20 mil floor
00:02:35	was created,
00:02:35	it was supposed to be where
00:02:37	if you are only collecting 20
00:02:37	mils,
00:02:39	you will get an inflationary
00:02:39	increase after a reevaluation.
00:02:43	If you are collecting above 20
00:02:43	mils,
00:02:44	you don't get an inflationary
00:02:44	increase.
00:02:47	This allows those districts
00:02:47	to collect above 20 mills,
00:02:50	depending on whether they're
00:02:51	collecting an emergency levy
00:02:51	or a number of other levies,
00:02:54	and still get a 20
00:02:54	mil floor increase.
00:02:57	And that's what's leading to
00:02:57	some of these
00:02:59	unanticipated unbolted
00:02:59	tax increases.
00:03:02	Senate Minority Leader Nikki
00:03:02	Antonio said she's concerned
00:03:04	that the elimination
00:03:04	of these levies
00:03:06	will mean more struggles
00:03:06	and less funds for schools.
00:03:09	Democrats brought up the fact
00:03:09	that if we had fully funded
00:03:13	the fair school
00:03:13	funding formula,
00:03:14	we would not be in the place
00:03:14	that we're in.
00:03:17	We always get pushback
00:03:17	that says we've
00:03:19	put more money into schools.
00:03:22	The devil's in the details.
00:03:23	We've put more money.
00:03:25	The legislature,
00:03:25	the last budget that
00:03:28	all the Democrats voted no on
00:03:28	put more money into schools,
00:03:32	but it put more money
00:03:32	into religious based schools
00:03:35	to put more money into charter
00:03:35	schools.
00:03:37	It put less money
00:03:37	into public schools.
00:03:40	And that's the problem.
00:03:41	So, then there's
00:03:41	this tendency to say, well,
00:03:45	because property taxes
00:03:45	pay for our schools,
00:03:48	even though less and less
00:03:48	money is coming from the state
00:03:52	fund.
00:03:56	It's the schools
00:03:57	that get blamed
00:03:57	for increasing property taxes.
00:04:00	Not all the other things
00:04:00	that are going on, including,
00:04:04	you know, the, the,
00:04:04	the folks that come in
00:04:07	and buy up properties
00:04:07	and then inflate the costs.
00:04:10	And, and we see this
00:04:10	in my community in Lakewood,
00:04:12	certainly seeing across
00:04:12	the state of Ohio.
00:04:16	this provision
00:04:16	that was overridden
00:04:17	takes effect in 90 days.
00:04:19	So after this fall's
00:04:19	election, House Republicans
00:04:22	had initially planned
00:04:23	to override three of DeWine's
00:04:23	vetoes in July.
00:04:26	The other two were provisions
00:04:26	to allow
00:04:28	county budget commissions
00:04:28	to be able to lower levies,
00:04:31	and for certain levies
00:04:31	to be included
00:04:33	in the calculation
00:04:33	of the 20 mill floor,
00:04:35	including emergency
00:04:35	and substitute levies.
00:04:37	House Speaker
00:04:38	Matt Huffman says
00:04:38	those will be taken up soon.
00:04:41	The first of three deadlines
00:04:41	and the latest congressional
00:04:44	redistricting process went
00:04:44	by this week with no action.
00:04:47	That means the drawing of
00:04:48	a 15 district map
00:04:50	moves to the seven member Ohio
00:04:50	redistricting Commission,
00:04:53	which has
00:04:53	until the end of the month
00:04:54	to approve a map
00:04:55	with the votes of the panel's
00:04:55	two Democrats.
00:04:58	If that fails, the process
00:04:59	goes back
00:04:59	to the General Assembly,
00:05:01	where a map could go through
00:05:01	with a simple majority vote
00:05:04	needs to happen
00:05:04	by the end of November.
00:05:06	Democrats have proposed a map
00:05:06	that in most years
00:05:08	would yield
00:05:08	a congressional delegation
00:05:10	of eight Republicans
00:05:10	and seven Democrats.
00:05:13	While
00:05:13	some national Republicans
00:05:14	have pushed for more seats
00:05:16	than the ten held by Ohio's
00:05:16	Republican congressman,
00:05:19	GOP state leaders
00:05:19	say right now
00:05:21	they have no map
00:05:21	to bring forward.
00:05:23	That is correct.
00:05:24	We don't have a final version
00:05:24	of the map.
00:05:25	We're working through what
00:05:25	that might look like.
00:05:28	a lot of you have asked me
00:05:28	people stuff as well.
00:05:30	Where's your map?
00:05:31	Well,
00:05:31	there isn't a map until I know
00:05:32	what needs to go into it
00:05:32	in order to get an agreement.
00:05:36	Governor Mike DeWine,
00:05:36	who is on the redistricting
00:05:38	commission,
00:05:38	said he will not predict
00:05:39	whether there will be a map
00:05:39	this month.
00:05:42	DeWine also won't say much
00:05:42	about his lieutenant governor,
00:05:45	Jim Tressel,
00:05:45	announcing last month
00:05:46	that he would not run
00:05:46	for governor,
00:05:48	leaving the race open
00:05:48	to tech billionaire Ramasamy.
00:05:52	Look, I'm going to endorse
00:05:52	the Republican nominee.
00:05:54	And so,
00:05:56	we'll we'll cross
00:05:56	that bridge, in a while.
00:05:59	the Democratic race
00:05:59	for governor
00:06:00	still has only one
00:06:00	candidate, former
00:06:02	Ohio Department of Health
00:06:02	director Doctor Amy Acton.
00:06:04	Former Congressman Tim
00:06:05	Ryan had said
00:06:05	he would make a decision
00:06:07	on that race
00:06:07	by September 30th.
00:06:09	But in a statement
00:06:09	this week, his spokesman said
00:06:12	Ryan believes
00:06:12	he is the strongest candidate
00:06:14	to beat Ramaswamy,
00:06:14	but that he, quote, is going
00:06:17	to take a few additional days
00:06:17	to make his decision.
00:06:21	Wednesday marks
00:06:21	the beginning of the first
00:06:23	federal government shutdown
00:06:23	since 2019,
00:06:25	and negotiations
00:06:25	between the leaders
00:06:27	of both parties
00:06:27	appear to be at a standstill.
00:06:29	Governor Mike DeWine said
00:06:30	he doesn't see
00:06:31	any major impact on the state
00:06:31	for at least two weeks,
00:06:34	and he hopes by that time that
00:06:34	it will all be worked out.
00:06:37	But he also said to expect
00:06:37	the unexpected Social Security
00:06:41	and veterans
00:06:41	benefits will continue,
00:06:43	and so will Supplemental
00:06:43	Nutrition
00:06:45	Assistance Program
00:06:45	or Snap benefits,
00:06:47	including the women,
00:06:47	Infants and Children's
00:06:48	Program, known as Whic.
00:06:50	Jory Novotny leads
00:06:51	the Ohio
00:06:51	Association of Food Banks,
00:06:54	which is watching the shutdown
00:06:54	situation carefully.
00:06:56	We do partner
00:06:56	with several federal agencies,
00:06:59	as well
00:06:59	as with the state of Ohio,
00:07:01	on pass through funding
00:07:01	from the federal government
00:07:04	and generally right now,
00:07:06	we don't have concerns
00:07:06	about access to those funds.
00:07:09	Those, in some cases
00:07:09	have already been,
00:07:12	authorized and approved
00:07:12	because a lot of those grants
00:07:15	run on different cycles
00:07:15	than the federal fiscal year.
00:07:19	So we don't have immediate
00:07:19	concerns about access to funds
00:07:22	or access to food.
00:07:24	Another big way
00:07:24	in which food banks partner
00:07:26	with the federal government
00:07:27	is by supporting
00:07:27	agricultural markets
00:07:29	through the Emergency Food
00:07:29	Assistance Program,
00:07:31	through our Commodity
00:07:32	Supplemental Food Program
00:07:32	that supplies food to seniors.
00:07:36	And we have deliveries
00:07:36	scheduled pretty far out.
00:07:40	So we're not anticipating
00:07:40	any delays
00:07:42	or disruptions in access
00:07:42	to those commodities either.
00:07:45	Let me ask you about
00:07:45	populations that you serve.
00:07:48	Many of them are on
00:07:49	supplemental nutrition
00:07:49	assistance programs.
00:07:51	Snap also on work for women,
00:07:51	infants and children.
00:07:54	Those are programs that
00:07:54	potentially could be affected
00:07:58	by the federal government
00:07:58	shutdown.
00:07:59	Are you concerned about that?
00:08:02	I'm not concerned right now.
00:08:03	And I want to make sure
00:08:03	that people
00:08:04	have a measured approach
00:08:04	to this. Right.
00:08:06	I don't want consumers
00:08:06	in the general public
00:08:08	to be unnecessarily concerned.
00:08:10	You know,
00:08:10	we have very rarely seen long
00:08:12	term shutdowns that have led
00:08:13	to actual impacts
00:08:13	on public benefit access.
00:08:17	So for October,
00:08:18	folks should
00:08:19	have a normal experience
00:08:19	with Snap and with with
00:08:22	the other programs
00:08:22	that they count on.
00:08:24	They should still be able
00:08:25	to access those benefits
00:08:25	will be able to be issued.
00:08:29	It's if the shutdown
00:08:29	is more prolonged,
00:08:31	if we get past that 30 day
00:08:31	mark,
00:08:33	then there will be different
00:08:34	scenarios
00:08:34	to take into consideration.
00:08:36	So we're just going to stay in
00:08:36	touch
00:08:38	with our partners at the state
00:08:38	and federal level.
00:08:40	To make sure that we're
00:08:40	communicating
00:08:42	transparently
00:08:42	and at the right point
00:08:44	so that folks aren't feeling
00:08:45	unnecessarily, concerned
00:08:45	about access to resources.
00:08:49	Is the demand that
00:08:49	you're seeing still elevated?
00:08:54	We're certainly
00:08:54	seeing elevated demand, yes.
00:08:56	And certainly
00:08:58	there are pockets in Ohio
00:08:58	where there are,
00:09:00	you know,
00:09:00	major federal workforce.
00:09:02	So there could be
00:09:03	some more immediate impacts
00:09:03	on our federal workers,
00:09:06	in the event of furloughs,
00:09:08	or if the shutdown
00:09:08	is prolonged enough that,
00:09:11	they go without a paycheck
00:09:11	and are working without pay.
00:09:15	But generally the,
00:09:17	you know,
00:09:17	the pressure that we're
00:09:18	experiencing
00:09:18	is unrelated to the shutdown.
00:09:20	It's, pressure
00:09:21	that we've seen building
00:09:22	and that has been sustained
00:09:22	for years now.
00:09:25	Just because, ultimately,
00:09:25	households are facing
00:09:29	consistent budget shortfalls,
00:09:29	the cost of living
00:09:32	has accelerated faster
00:09:32	than their wages have kept up.
00:09:35	And that's meaning
00:09:35	that they're coming to us.
00:09:37	More of them are coming to us,
00:09:38	and more of them
00:09:38	are coming to us more often.
00:09:40	You're approaching
00:09:40	the time of the year
00:09:42	when people will start
00:09:42	thinking a lot
00:09:44	about food banks
00:09:45	donating to food banks,
00:09:45	food drives start happening.
00:09:48	Does that help relieve
00:09:48	some of that pressure at all?
00:09:52	We have seen our community
00:09:52	step up very generously,
00:09:54	and certainly we're
00:09:55	always looking to broaden,
00:09:55	blend resources, always have.
00:09:58	In our decades
00:09:58	long history of doing food
00:10:00	banking,
00:10:00	we're looking to reduce waste,
00:10:03	do everything we can
00:10:03	as efficiently as possible,
00:10:06	support our partners
00:10:06	in agriculture
00:10:08	and in the food supply.
00:10:09	And we're lucky to have
00:10:09	the generosity of volunteers
00:10:12	who give their time
00:10:12	as well as as well as donors.
00:10:15	So we've seen a lot of
00:10:15	generosity in our communities.
00:10:18	It's not sustainable
00:10:18	for philanthropic philanthropy
00:10:21	to, you know,
00:10:21	fill continued gaps in access.
00:10:24	But we're really encouraged
00:10:24	by the way
00:10:26	in which our communities
00:10:26	keep responding and certainly
00:10:29	ask them to stay with us.
00:10:30	We just had an outstanding
00:10:30	hunger action Month.
00:10:32	Still wrapping my orange
00:10:32	from the close of September
00:10:35	and Hunger Action
00:10:36	Month and saw a lot of real,
00:10:36	positive energy.
00:10:40	You know, we had over 100,000
00:10:40	different people in Ohio,
00:10:44	volunteered our food banks
00:10:44	just last year.
00:10:46	So Ohioans
00:10:46	are really generous,
00:10:48	really committed
00:10:48	to one another.
00:10:49	And I'm sure
00:10:49	we'll see that continue again
00:10:51	in the shutdown,
00:10:51	however long it does continue.
00:10:54	Winter is coming.
00:10:55	And that's concerning
00:10:55	for anyone
00:10:57	who is worried about higher
00:10:57	electric bills.
00:10:59	Electricity costs are up 2.7%
00:10:59	nationally over the year
00:11:03	ending in July,
00:11:04	but they jump 10 to 15%
00:11:04	for many Ohio households.
00:11:08	The reasons go back to 1999,
00:11:08	when state lawmakers
00:11:11	deregulated
00:11:11	the electricity market
00:11:13	and a 2008 bill that changed
00:11:13	the regulatory structure
00:11:16	at the Public Utilities
00:11:16	Commission.
00:11:18	Those were supposed to bring
00:11:19	lower prices and innovation
00:11:19	because of competition.
00:11:23	I talked to the Public
00:11:23	Utilities
00:11:24	Commission of Ohio Chair
00:11:24	Jennifer French about that,
00:11:27	and I started our conversation
00:11:27	with the news of a cap
00:11:30	on the cost
00:11:30	to reestablish service.
00:11:32	If it's disconnected
00:11:32	this winter at $175
00:11:36	plus a reconnect charge,
00:11:36	that can't be more than $36.
00:11:39	Some advocates
00:11:39	for lower income Ohioans
00:11:41	say that's too limited,
00:11:41	and they wanted more action.
00:11:44	So we're trying to strike
00:11:44	a balance between
00:11:48	preventing, disconnects
00:11:48	or making them easy
00:11:52	to connect, to reconnect,
00:11:52	but also not holding
00:11:57	all the other ratepayers
00:11:57	accountable
00:11:59	for those that aren't
00:11:59	paying their bills.
00:12:00	So, you know,
00:12:01	if you cut off disconnections
00:12:01	completely,
00:12:03	somebody is going to be paying
00:12:03	for that.
00:12:05	And so we're just trying
00:12:05	to strike a balance
00:12:07	between those two things.
00:12:09	And so that's that's where
00:12:09	we came up with these figures.
00:12:12	Another thing
00:12:12	you're working on
00:12:13	is a statewide
00:12:13	reliability report.
00:12:15	That's part of the new energy
00:12:15	law, House Bill 15.
00:12:18	It's required under that.
00:12:19	It would require you
00:12:19	to publish reliability
00:12:21	reports that include frequency
00:12:21	of interruption
00:12:24	and duration,
00:12:24	and also outlining plans
00:12:24	to upgrade grid reliability.
00:12:28	So all of that,
00:12:29	what do you hope
00:12:29	that that report will tell
00:12:32	lawmakers, ratepayers,
00:12:32	anybody who reads it?
00:12:35	Sure.
00:12:36	Nobody wants to have
00:12:36	the lights go out. Right.
00:12:37	And so it's our job
00:12:37	to make sure
00:12:39	that
00:12:39	we have reliable service,
00:12:42	to all the ratepayers
00:12:42	in the state of Ohio
00:12:44	provided by their distribution
00:12:44	utilities.
00:12:46	And so what we're hoping
00:12:46	is that
00:12:48	if there are glaring issues
00:12:48	that we haven't
00:12:50	somehow already
00:12:51	picked up on that, that
00:12:51	we can see it in that report.
00:12:54	And also just everything
00:12:54	really is about reliability
00:12:58	and affordability.
00:12:59	You know,
00:13:00	if the utilities
00:13:00	are collecting money
00:13:03	from ratepayers for
00:13:03	reliability, which they do,
00:13:05	we want to make sure
00:13:06	that that's
00:13:06	what they're doing with it.
00:13:08	And, you know, just to ensure
00:13:08	that everybody,
00:13:11	all the ratepayers
00:13:12	in the state of Ohio
00:13:12	have reliable service,
00:13:15	it can be easy for ratepayers
00:13:15	to think, well,
00:13:17	my my electricity goes off
00:13:17	all the time.
00:13:20	This will actually show
00:13:20	how often it does go off.
00:13:22	Potentially. It will. Yeah.
00:13:23	So it would it will allow us
00:13:23	and the utilities to pinpoint
00:13:27	certain areas.
00:13:28	Okay.
00:13:29	Well we have less reliability
00:13:29	here than we should.
00:13:31	And we do keep track
00:13:31	of the reliability standards
00:13:33	for all of
00:13:33	the distribution utilities.
00:13:36	But this just is one more
00:13:36	layer of that.
00:13:38	It's my understanding that
00:13:39	when the electricity market
00:13:39	was deregulated in 1999,
00:13:42	and then the regulatory
00:13:42	structure of the Puco
00:13:45	was changed in 2008,
00:13:46	the goal in the hope was that
00:13:46	this would bring lower prices
00:13:49	and innovation
00:13:49	because of competition.
00:13:52	That does not appear to be
00:13:53	what has happened,
00:13:53	at least when you look at the,
00:13:56	people's people's bills.
00:13:58	Why not?
00:13:59	Well, I actually would say
00:13:59	that, you know, in Ohio,
00:14:03	we are we're number 26 of 51,
00:14:06	as far as electricity prices.
00:14:08	So we're right there
00:14:08	in the middle.
00:14:10	We are less than all
00:14:10	within our surrounding states.
00:14:13	You know, so energy prices
00:14:13	do go up and do come down.
00:14:16	And right now
00:14:16	we're seeing an unprecedented,
00:14:18	amount of growth
00:14:18	in that area with data centers
00:14:22	and things like that.
00:14:24	So I would say that
00:14:24	we actually have
00:14:27	really good prices in Ohio.
00:14:28	Are they higher right now
00:14:28	than they were two years ago?
00:14:30	They are.
00:14:31	And so,
00:14:32	you know, we're working on
00:14:32	looking at different ways,
00:14:34	working with the,
00:14:34	you know, utilities,
00:14:36	the auctions, things
00:14:36	like that.
00:14:37	The capacity auction
00:14:39	that PJM held, certainly
00:14:39	increased exponentially.
00:14:43	Again, supply and demand,
00:14:43	you have different states
00:14:46	that are have different
00:14:46	state policies than we do,
00:14:49	that might be taking baseload
00:14:49	generation offline,
00:14:52	instead of
00:14:52	putting more online.
00:14:54	So, you know, in Ohio, that's
00:14:56	one of the things that House
00:14:56	Bill 15 is doing.
00:14:59	I've been at the PTO for four
00:14:59	and a half years, and,
00:15:02	for four of those years,
00:15:02	we really were not seeing any
00:15:06	gas fired
00:15:06	generation applications
00:15:09	because I also cite, I chair
00:15:09	the power siting board, too.
00:15:11	So we are in charge
00:15:11	of siting generation units,
00:15:14	and we hadn't seen any.
00:15:14	It was all renewables,
00:15:16	which are great,
00:15:16	but we need it all.
00:15:18	And so at any rate
00:15:18	since January.
00:15:23	So for whatever,
00:15:24	you know, House Bill 15
00:15:24	I think passed in April maybe
00:15:28	but it allows it expanded.
00:15:31	The opportunities
00:15:31	for behind the meter
00:15:33	generation
00:15:33	and at the power siting board,
00:15:35	we've already approved,
00:15:35	I want to say maybe 400MW
00:15:39	of behind
00:15:39	the meter generation,
00:15:41	and we have another 1200
00:15:41	roughly in the queue.
00:15:44	So hopefully
00:15:44	with all that coming
00:15:46	in, that helps to stabilize
00:15:46	the pricing as well.
00:15:49	Know when you have more supply
00:15:49	coming in
00:15:50	and that can lower the price,
00:15:50	is what you're saying.
00:15:52	Basically,
00:15:53	I want to ask you
00:15:53	about data centers
00:15:54	and other
00:15:54	high tech facilities,
00:15:56	especially Intel and Meta
00:15:56	and some of the things
00:15:59	that we're seeing in central
00:15:59	Ohio.
00:16:00	But around the state,
00:16:01	they're not only using
00:16:03	a lot of power,
00:16:03	but they're expected to use
00:16:05	a lot of power in the future.
00:16:06	Are Ohioans paying in advance
00:16:06	for the use of that power,
00:16:10	even if it never happens?
00:16:12	So what we've done,
00:16:12	I'll just use AP
00:16:16	because they're the utility
00:16:16	that's done this
00:16:17	and this is a pending case
00:16:17	in front of me.
00:16:19	So I'm just going to give you
00:16:19	a wide net.
00:16:21	Basically what happened
00:16:21	is that AEP
00:16:25	said, hey, we're not sure
00:16:25	what is real and what is not.
00:16:28	And, you know,
00:16:28	if you're going to build out
00:16:30	this transmission system
00:16:30	to support these users,
00:16:34	high consumers of electricity,
00:16:34	we need to make sure
00:16:37	that those costs
00:16:37	are not borne by ratepayers.
00:16:40	And so the the data center
00:16:40	tariff puts more of that cost
00:16:44	on the data center,
00:16:44	specifically
00:16:46	so that if there
00:16:48	so that
00:16:48	to avoid really stranded costs
00:16:48	later if in fact there isn't
00:16:52	the materialization of this
00:16:52	that we expect.
00:16:54	So AEP has asked essentially
00:16:56	to be able
00:16:56	to recover those costs.
00:16:58	But you can't talk about that
00:16:59	because it's pending right
00:16:59	now. Correct?
00:17:01	Yeah.
00:17:02	It is
00:17:02	most of the data centers
00:17:02	are here in central Ohio,
00:17:05	but you have those
00:17:05	all around the state, I think.
00:17:07	I want to ask you,
00:17:07	I want to ask you about
00:17:10	whether there's any data
00:17:10	specific I have to take to.
00:17:14	All right.
00:17:15	Speaking of data,
00:17:16	I want to ask
00:17:16	if there's any data on whether
00:17:18	energy efficiency programs
00:17:18	that utilities were doing.
00:17:23	And some still do
00:17:23	in some respect,
00:17:25	if they could have any impact
00:17:25	on these bills.
00:17:28	I mean, House Bill six got rid
00:17:28	of a lot of those programs.
00:17:31	Could that be affecting
00:17:31	these costs
00:17:33	that we're seeing now?
00:17:34	We haven't done any specific,
00:17:34	studies on that.
00:17:38	I mean, energy efficiency,
00:17:38	demand response,
00:17:41	all of these things,
00:17:41	they can't hurt, right.
00:17:45	What is the degree upon
00:17:45	which energy efficiency helps?
00:17:49	I don't I don't know that
00:17:50	I don't have those numbers
00:17:50	in front of me.
00:17:51	It's a great question.
00:17:52	But,
00:17:53	you know, we and we do approve
00:17:53	some energy efficiency,
00:17:56	programs.
00:17:57	Are mostly low
00:17:58	income at, in rate cases
00:17:58	when the utilities
00:18:01	come in for those.
00:18:02	So so we do have energy
00:18:02	efficiency out there.
00:18:05	And of course
00:18:05	people can engage
00:18:06	in their own
00:18:06	energy efficiency.
00:18:08	But is it really a situation
00:18:08	where if you change out
00:18:12	your light bulbs to lab LED
00:18:12	light bulbs and you turn off,
00:18:16	you know,
00:18:16	turn down your power or,
00:18:18	turn down your electricity,
00:18:18	the you know what I mean?
00:18:21	Will that move the needle?
00:18:23	Is that something
00:18:23	that can really make
00:18:25	a difference
00:18:26	for people
00:18:26	who are really struggling
00:18:28	to try
00:18:28	to pay their electric bills?
00:18:30	I think there's probably a lot
00:18:31	that goes into that
00:18:31	and a lot of variables.
00:18:33	I know I have the thermostat
00:18:33	that we control,
00:18:36	through
00:18:36	our phones and use that,
00:18:39	I think the less energy that
00:18:40	people are using, the better
00:18:40	for all of us. Probably.
00:18:43	So it can't hurt. But.
00:18:45	But is it really enough?
00:18:46	I mean, when people are
00:18:46	looking at big electric bills,
00:18:49	is that going to be enough
00:18:49	or are there
00:18:52	other things
00:18:52	that people could be doing?
00:18:54	I think
00:18:55	the energy efficiency things
00:18:56	and that runs the gamut
00:18:56	to right.
00:18:58	Re insulating your house,
00:18:58	changing out your windows,
00:19:01	smart meters,
00:19:01	all those things,
00:19:03	smart thermostats,
00:19:03	all those things.
00:19:05	I don't know exactly per
00:19:05	household how much that saves.
00:19:10	But again,
00:19:11	the less you're using,
00:19:11	the less you're spending.
00:19:13	When I ask you
00:19:13	about the Apples
00:19:14	to Apples website
00:19:14	that Puco operates,
00:19:17	which allows people
00:19:17	to compare,
00:19:20	for electric, for gas,
00:19:20	that there was this report
00:19:24	from Ohio State
00:19:24	that said that
00:19:24	it really doesn't
00:19:25	result
00:19:25	in savings to consumers.
00:19:27	So I want to ask you
00:19:27	about that.
00:19:29	And and where you stand
00:19:29	on that. Sure.
00:19:31	First of all,
00:19:31	you raise a really good point.
00:19:33	So, it is incredibly
00:19:33	important
00:19:37	that people educate themselves
00:19:37	on this topic
00:19:40	because there are a lot of
00:19:40	different programs out there,
00:19:44	and we do have them all on
00:19:44	our Apples to Apples website,
00:19:48	on our website.
00:19:49	And it's called Apples
00:19:49	to Apples.
00:19:50	And what it does
00:19:50	is it lays out,
00:19:53	you know,
00:19:53	is it a variable rate?
00:19:54	Is that a fixed rate?
00:19:55	Is it, green energy?
00:19:57	Is it not so variable? Right.
00:20:00	So it it lays that out so
00:20:00	people can go in and look at
00:20:03	and look at it.
00:20:03	We also have our call center.
00:20:06	And our call center explains
00:20:06	kind of how that works.
00:20:09	If somebody is confused,
00:20:10	we get a lot of calls
00:20:10	on our apples to apples,
00:20:14	portion of our website.
00:20:15	And it just depends.
00:20:17	So sometimes, you know,
00:20:17	you might have this offer,
00:20:21	for power for generation
00:20:21	that is higher than
00:20:24	the standard service offer.
00:20:25	Maybe it's because though
00:20:25	it's green energy, maybe not.
00:20:28	I mean, so,
00:20:29	you know, at any given
00:20:30	time, there's
00:20:30	so many offers out there
00:20:32	that people really need
00:20:32	to educate themselves,
00:20:34	or call us
00:20:34	to help us to educate,
00:20:38	you know, them and,
00:20:38	and get that out there.
00:20:41	I can tell you that our,
00:20:43	our public relations
00:20:43	team is out all the time
00:20:46	at different
00:20:46	fairs, at different events.
00:20:49	They're really everywhere.
00:20:51	And they're trying to educate
00:20:51	people
00:20:52	on, on this issue,
00:20:52	on their supplier choice,
00:20:55	if they should choose
00:20:55	to do that.
00:20:56	And just like with anything,
00:20:58	you do have to read the fine
00:20:58	print.
00:21:00	You have to shop
00:21:00	if you're going to change.
00:21:03	There are some offers
00:21:03	that are that require a fee
00:21:07	if you disconnect early or if
00:21:07	you change early or whatever.
00:21:09	You have to look around
00:21:09	that these teaser rates
00:21:11	and and some of these lower
00:21:11	rates
00:21:13	may not be
00:21:13	what you think they are.
00:21:15	That's exactly true.
00:21:16	I mean, the devil's
00:21:16	in the details, right.
00:21:18	And so, you know, again we and
00:21:18	sometimes there are offers,
00:21:22	you know,
00:21:22	oh you'll get this
00:21:22	kind of debt
00:21:24	credit card or debit card or
00:21:24	gift card or whatever it is,
00:21:27	and that entices people
00:21:29	and that might be a good deal
00:21:29	and it might not.
00:21:30	So, you know,
00:21:32	we really, really encourage
00:21:33	people to go to the website
00:21:34	and then to call
00:21:34	our call center
00:21:37	if they still need
00:21:37	some additional guidance.
00:21:39	And there's a big difference
00:21:39	between generation
00:21:39	cost, distribution cost.
00:21:41	You have to
00:21:41	look at all those things.
00:21:43	And just because you switch
00:21:43	suppliers,
00:21:45	that doesn't mean
00:21:45	you eliminate all those costs.
00:21:47	Correct.
00:21:48	I think that that can be
00:21:48	You know, and that can
00:21:50	what's confusing to people is
00:21:52	why are there
00:21:52	these different costs
00:21:53	and that it was related
00:21:53	to the deregulation process?
00:21:56	It is. Yes.
00:21:57	I want to ask you to
00:21:58	I don't know if you can weigh
00:21:59	in on legislation
00:22:00	at all, but House Bill
00:22:00	427 would allow ratepayers
00:22:03	to opt in to programs
00:22:03	that would allow
00:22:05	electric companies
00:22:05	to reduce their power
00:22:07	consumption
00:22:07	during peak periods.
00:22:10	There was
00:22:10	a similar bill last session
00:22:12	that would,
00:22:12	allow them to opt out
00:22:15	this would
00:22:15	allow them to opt in.
00:22:16	Is that something that
00:22:16	the CEO can, weigh in on
00:22:22	based for our position
00:22:22	at the Puco,
00:22:24	we don't generally,
00:22:24	speak for or against,
00:22:27	any type of legislation
00:22:27	we are here for technical,
00:22:31	advice should be be requested
00:22:31	to provide
00:22:34	any by our legislators
00:22:34	or anybody else.
00:22:36	For that matter.
00:22:37	So I don't
00:22:37	I don't have an opinion,
00:22:39	for it or against it.
00:22:40	I'm very familiar
00:22:40	with the bill.
00:22:42	And again though, I mean,
00:22:45	it was it's voluntary,
00:22:45	I understand that.
00:22:47	So, and that's
00:22:47	and that's a good thing.
00:22:49	And,
00:22:51	you know,
00:22:51	depending upon the volume,
00:22:52	it it could help
00:22:52	so demand response.
00:22:55	You know, we've seen it
00:22:55	with our big industrial users.
00:22:58	It's very effective.
00:22:59	Now, how effective is it at,
00:22:59	a residential level?
00:23:03	Well,
00:23:03	I think
00:23:04	if you have enough residents
00:23:04	that are doing it,
00:23:05	it could probably be
00:23:05	very effective.
00:23:07	So but you know, as far
00:23:07	as my position on the bill,
00:23:12	you know,
00:23:12	I don't have one other
00:23:13	than to just be supportive of
00:23:16	in your experience dealing
00:23:16	with the industrial users.
00:23:19	If this did go into effect
00:23:19	and people would opt into it
00:23:21	at the residential level,
00:23:23	would people have to worry
00:23:23	about their their
00:23:25	their heat being turned off
00:23:25	during peak periods
00:23:29	or their air
00:23:29	conditioning being turned off?
00:23:30	I don't think so. I think
00:23:32	I think we would probably be
00:23:32	talking a few degrees.
00:23:34	I don't think anybody's
00:23:34	ever going
00:23:36	to have their AC turned off,
00:23:37	because the whole point
00:23:37	is to keep all that stuff on.
00:23:40	Right?
00:23:40	And so no, I, no,
00:23:40	I don't think anybody would
00:23:43	have to worry about that.
00:23:44	And finally, as we're
00:23:44	going into the winter season,
00:23:47	are you concerned about again,
00:23:47	these bills that are coming?
00:23:50	There's a lot of people
00:23:50	who are very worried
00:23:52	about how they're going
00:23:52	to make these payments.
00:23:54	Are you concerned about what
00:23:56	what's going to happen
00:23:56	to some of these folks?
00:23:57	Of course,
00:23:58	I will tell you that generally
00:23:58	before every heating season,
00:24:02	I talk to
00:24:04	all of our utilities,
00:24:05	our gas and electric
00:24:05	utilities,
00:24:07	because we have programs
00:24:07	for and, you know,
00:24:10	they are they have certain
00:24:10	income thresholds.
00:24:14	And so we have like the Pip
00:24:14	program, percentage of income
00:24:17	payment plan,
00:24:17	where
00:24:17	somebody can only pay up
00:24:20	to 10% of their salary
00:24:20	for their bill,
00:24:23	their electric bill,
00:24:23	regardless what it is. Okay.
00:24:26	And then as long as they keep
00:24:27	paying, part of
00:24:27	it will be forgiven.
00:24:28	So we have programs,
00:24:28	for certain income levels,
00:24:32	but there's there's this gap
00:24:32	right between people
00:24:36	that don't qualify
00:24:36	for those programs
00:24:38	because they make
00:24:38	too much money,
00:24:39	but also are struggling.
00:24:42	And so I like to meet
00:24:42	with the utilities to see,
00:24:45	you know, what
00:24:45	other programs do you have,
00:24:48	so that our call center
00:24:48	is equipped
00:24:50	with the ability to say, okay,
00:24:50	you make too much for Pip,
00:24:53	but we can, you know, AP
00:24:53	can offer
00:24:55	this, or Duke is offering
00:24:55	that or whatever utility
00:24:58	that it is, because, yes,
00:25:00	we're very concerned
00:25:01	and we don't want anyone to
00:25:01	not have power in the winter.
00:25:04	And there are also several
00:25:05	and there are also
00:25:05	federal programs
00:25:06	that do help in this area
00:25:06	as well. Right? Yes.
00:25:08	Are you concerned about cuts
00:25:08	in those coming?
00:25:11	I think we're going
00:25:11	to have to see, what happens.
00:25:14	Anything that makes,
00:25:15	it more difficult for people
00:25:15	who are struggling.
00:25:19	Of course
00:25:19	we want to be there to help.
00:25:21	If you'd like to see
00:25:21	the interview
00:25:23	I referenced with Ohio
00:25:23	State University
00:25:25	Associate
00:25:25	Professor of public Policy
00:25:26	Noah Darby about his research
00:25:26	into high utility costs,
00:25:30	including his work
00:25:30	looking into the Apples
00:25:32	to Apples page
00:25:32	on the Puco website.
00:25:34	You can check out our archives
00:25:34	at State news.org.
00:25:38	And that is it for this week
00:25:38	from my colleagues
00:25:40	at the Statehouse News
00:25:40	Bureau of Ohio Public Media.
00:25:42	Thanks for watching.
00:25:43	Please
00:25:43	check out our website at State
00:25:44	News Dawg
00:25:44	or find us online by searching
00:25:46	State of Ohio Show.
00:25:48	You can stay in the know
00:25:48	by registering for Ohio
00:25:50	State House
00:25:50	alerts through this QR code,
00:25:52	or by texting
00:25:52	state news to this number.
00:25:55	And you can also hear more
00:25:55	from all of us
00:25:56	on our podcast,
00:25:56	The Ohio State House scoop.
00:25:59	Every Monday morning.
00:26:00	And please join us again next
00:26:00	time for the State of Ohio.
00:26:06	Support
00:26:06	for the Statehouse News
00:26:08	Bureau
00:26:08	comes from Medical Mutual,
00:26:09	dedicated to the health
00:26:09	and well-being of Ohioans,
00:26:12	offering health insurance
00:26:12	plans, as well as dental,
00:26:15	vision and wellness programs
00:26:15	to help people
00:26:17	achieve their goals
00:26:17	and remain healthy.
00:26:18	More at Med mutual.com.
00:26:21	The law offices of Porter,
00:26:21	right, Morris and Arthur LLP.
00:26:24	Porter Wright is dedicated
00:26:24	to bringing inspired legal
00:26:27	outcomes to the Ohio business
00:26:27	community.
00:26:30	More at porterwright.com.
00:26:31	Porter Wright
00:26:31	inspired Every day
00:26:34	in Ohio Education Association,
00:26:34	representing 120,000
00:26:37	educators who are united
00:26:37	in their mission
00:26:39	to create the excellent
00:26:39	public schools.
00:26:41	Every child
00:26:41	deserves more at OHEA.org.

Note : Transcripts are compiled from uncorrected captions