State & Federal Updates: General Assembly and Congress
Ohio General Assembly
The big story in Columbus is HB 6, the nuclear bailout bill that passed last year. $61 million greased the skids for Rep. Larry Householder to become Speaker of […]
Energy Efficiency & Weatherization Days
October is a busy month when it comes to recognizing the importance of energy efficiency and weatherization. October 7 is Energy Efficiency Day and October 30 is Weatherization Day. And […]
OPAE Litigation Update
OPAE is involved in a diverse group of cases currently before the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) which will have far-reaching impacts on customers.
Utility Transition Dockets – Each regulated Ohio utility has a so-called waiver […]
How Ashtabula County Community Action Agency’s Head Start Was a Beacon of Hope for One Family
Head Start has been an absolute Godsend to our family, and specifically our girls, for so many reasons. The biggest and most recent reason was how instruction, communication with families, and connection were created and […]
ODSA and Electric Utilities Announce PIPP Policies During the Pandemic
The Ohio Development Services Agency (ODSA) issued a notice to agencies on Monday announcing its decision to delay the enforcement of income reverification requirements for the Percentage Income Payment Plan until January 1, […]
Heard of HB 6, the Nuclear Bailout, or Do You Live in a Cave?
$63 million to pass legislation to force ratepayers to fork over $1.5 billion to hedge funds and merchant banks. Sounds like a scandal to me. You would imagine legislators would be rushing to repeal the […]
OPAE Legislative Agenda – Carryover Funds Unspent Because of COVID-19
COVID-19 forced us to take our weatherization staff and contractors out of the field for about 6 months, and agencies are still slowly recovering momentum. It was important not to risk clients and staff, though […]
PUCO Approves Winter Reconnect Order
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) today issued its Winter Reconnect Order for the upcoming winter heating season. The Winter Reconnect Order helps Ohioans served by PUCO-regulated utilities reconnect or maintain electric and natural […]
PUCO, Vectren and PIPP
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) issued a Finding and Order yesterday that partly approved and partly modified Vectren’s proposed transition plan. Under these plans, utilities provide a roadmap for how they will restart […]
The HB-6 Circus Continues
You’ve probably heard about the indictment of Speaker Householder. Here’s a good story on it.
As you know, HB 6 ended the authority to recover funding for the […]
Ohio Utility COVID-19 Transition Plans
Ohio’s utilities are restarting their energy efficiency and weatherization assistance programs in phases. The following provides program restart details:
Gallia-Meigs: Energy Efficiency Job Success Story
Gallia-Meigs: Energy Efficiency Job Success Story written by:
Ramond Johnson
Gallia-Meigs Community Action Agency
Lead Energy Specialist
Christina of Middleport, Ohio was like most individuals of the area awaiting help with heating bills from […]
Weatherization Programs Continue to Reopen
First, the Home Weatherization Assistance Program (HWAP) and the Electric Partnership Program reopened. Now DP&L has reopened, with AEP and FirstEnergy scheduled to reopen on July 1st, and Columbia Gas on July 13th. […]
HB 246 Threatens Due Process
Representative Nino Vitale is back at it. The legislator, who was quoted last winter suggesting that poor people who couldn’t heat their homes would be motivated to work, and who has […]
AEP and DP&L: Prospects for Future Funding
Dayton Power & Light’s Smart Energy Community Program (still don’t like that name) is back into the field. AEP’s Community Assistance Program is slated to reopen on […]
New Summer Crisis Program Guidelines Issued
It is going to be a busy summer once utility moratoria are lifted. Based on feedback from agencies, applications remain steady but the applications have yet to reflect the huge numbers of newly unemployed. Agencies […]
2020 Home Weatherization Assistance Program State Plan
COMMENTS
of
David C. Rinebolt
Executive Director
on the
PY 2020 HOME WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
STATE PLAN
I. Introduction
Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on the proposed Program Year 2020 Home Weatherization Assistance Program State Plan and the […]
FY 2021 Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
RE: FY 2021 Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
Waiver Request
Dear Ms. Meadows:
OPAE wishes to notify you that the organization and its members support the LIHEAP waiver request as drafted. We support the expansion of […]
Ohio gas rate cases threaten efficiency programs for low-income families
The following ran in Energy News Network on April 15, 2020; Author Kathiann M. Kowalski
The state consumer advocate says the COVID-19 pandemic justifies diverting funds into bill payment programs.
Ohio’s consumer advocate is […]
HANNAH REPORT: OPAE Blasts OCC Push to Divert Energy Efficiency Funds to Hurting Consumers
The following ran in the Ohio Hannah Report; April 7, 2020
COLUMBUS, OH – Ohio Partners for Affordable Energy (OPAE) accused the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel (OCC) Tuesday of exploiting the coronavirus crisis to push its long-term […]
Ohio Consumers’ Counsel proposes eliminating all efficiency programs offered by Columbia Gas and Vectren
Columbia has requested to adjust the funding rider for its DSM proposal. Vectren has asked for approval of its voluntary DSM portfolio for 2021-2023. Two different cases, but a common problem: the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel […]
OPAE Negotiating Dayton Power & Light Smart Grid Settlement
OPAE is currently in negotiations with the Company on a settlement of its smart grid proposal. DP&L proposes to spend around $800 million on Phase I of a three-part implementation plan. Phase I includes Distribution […]
AEP Ohio Base Rate Proceedings
The Company took the first step in what will be a long base rate proceeding, filing a motion to establish a test-year and waiving certain filing requirements. A base rate case is the traditional approach […]
COVID-19 Supplementals
The COVID-19 3rd Supplemental provided an additional $900 million for HEAP and $1 billion for CSBG. This is all good.
Congress is now feuding over a 4th and 5th supplemental. The first volley was fired by […]