Mahoning Commissioners to oppose light-bulb program at meeting tonight

POLAND — The Mahoning County commissioners will consider this evening a resolution in opposition to FirstEnergy Corp.’s controversial plan to distribute energy-efficient light bulbs to residential customers and charge them over the next three years for the costs involved.

The resolution is on the commissioners’ agenda for their public meeting at 7 p.m. at American Legion Post 15, 35 Cortland Ave., Poland. The commissioners’ office declined to release a draft of the resolution in advance of the meeting.

FirstEnergy, which includes Ohio Edison, received approval last month from the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio to distribute 3.75 million compact fluorescent light bulbs to residential customers.

The customers will pay about 60 cents a month extra on their electric bills over the next three years to cover the costs of the bulb distribution. The company says the bulbs will save customers about $60 over five to seven years.

The plan was developed to meet state-mandated energy efficiencies, with utilities required to reduce energy usage by 22.2 percent by the end of 2025.