Complaint filed against FirstEnergy wind energy fees

August 12, 2010

Ohio energy company FirstEnergy is facing penalties of $10,000 a day for imposing “unlawful” costs on customers wanting to generate their own wind power.

The firm based in Akron, Ohio, was charged by the Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel with making it too difficult for its customers to connect wind generators to the grid.

The consumer watchdog said FirstEnergy had flouted state laws back to 2007, by putting in place “excessively burdensome and expensive requirements” for wind generators to get involved in net metering arrangements to sell power to their local utility.

Officials filed complaints today with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio demanding penalties and an immediate change in FirstEnergy’s approach to net metering.

Law

Consumers’ Counsel Janine Migden-Ostrander said: “Ohio law and public policy encourage consumer-produced power through renewable sources such as wind and solar. According to several consumers and supporting documents, the utility has erected obstacles that fail to comply with the law.”

FirstEnergy does business in Ohio through utility units including Ohio Edison, The Illuminating Company and Toledo Edison. The company serves around 4.5 million people in Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

According to the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel, the company forced customers to buy expensive new electric meters if they wanted to connect wind turbines up to the grid, with the Counsel suggesting that existing meters were already adequate for the job.

Add your comments

http://www.brightenergy.org disgruntled
First Energy tries to scam people into enrolling, we experienced this in New York of all places!! They come to the door saying they are from your gas/electric company and want to make sure you are still getting your discount, and try to get you to had over a copy of your bill, this is FRAUD!!