Ohio AG files complaint to force Youngstown Thermal action

YOUNGSTOWN

The last time the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio was forced to go through the courts to prevent an energy loss, iPhones didn’t exist and Ronald Reagan was president.

Youngstown Thermal’s inability to pay utility bills and make payroll in a timely manner caused PUCO to step in for the first such case since 1987.

On Friday, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office filed a complaint on the commission’s behalf asking the court to force Youngstown Thermal comply with its duty as a utility and to seek a receiver for the company.

In the complaint, the attorney general’s office cited the Ohio Revised Code that states every utility will “comply with every order, direction and requirement of the public utilities commission” and “no valid excuse for a public utility not following a PUCO order can exist under law.”

Youngstown Thermal provides steam heat and chilling services for about 40 customers in downtown Youngstown.

The commission and Youngstown Thermal have 14 days to recommend receivers.

Read more about the situation in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.