Democratic energy lawyer tapped as Ohio utility regulator

COLUMBUS (AP) — A Democratic attorney with expertise in energy law has been chosen to fill a vacancy on Ohio’s utility regulatory board.

M. Howard Petricoff was named today to a term at the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio that ends April 10, 2020.

Republican Gov. John Kasich selected Petricoff from among 19 applicants for the vacancy created by the May 20 resignation of Chairman Andre Porter. Porter’s successor as chair was named earlier.

Petricoff is an adjunct professor of natural resources and energy law at Capital University Law School and co-director of the school’s Midwest Energy Law & Policy Center. He recently retired from a 30--plus-year career at Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease.

Petricoff is also a former assistant Ohio attorney general and one-time chairman of Ohio’s Oil and Gas Commission.