One day after pressing the Public Utilities Commission to put a halt on First Energy's plans to ship millions of more efficient light bulbs to its Ohio customers, Governor Ted Strickland was looking for answers. The Governor says one issue is "whether or not the customer should legitimately be charged for energy savings which are the result of the bulbs."
First Energy says it will tack an extra sixty-cents a month onto our bills for the next three years. A spokesman tells us the added cost covers not only the bulbs, but the lost revenue the company would see as a result of consumers cutting back on their energy demand by using them. First Energy spokesman Mark Durbin says, "Because utility companies are being asked to sell less of their product, less electricity, that's considered a cost to the company for the programs," adding, "The way the law is written, utilities are able to recover that cost."
The law Durbin refers to also requires utility companies to reduce their energy output over the next 16-years. Lawmakers have already been getting an earful from angry constituents. State Sen. Joe Schiavoni of Canfield says people have been calling his staff complaining, "They can't send a light bulb and make me buy it, especially if it's way over what the cost is at the store."
But Durbin tells us customers may not have all that much of a choice, even if they don't need the new bulbs. He says, "The rules are such that the programs are in place for everyone and everyone needs to pay for those programs."
That's not to say everyone will like it.
State Rep. Ron Gerberry of Austintown says he wouldn't be surprised if this leads to new legislation putting more oversight over utility companies and the PUCO.
