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Regional chamber opposed to ZEN energy program
By Kalea Hall
YOUNGSTOWN
Bill Siderewicz, the man behind a pair of billion-dollar Lordstown natural-gas power plants, was happy to hear the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber spoke its mind about the Zero Emissions Nuclear Resource program.
The chamber’s board of directors said Wednesday they oppose the program, which would increase electricity rates to subsidize two FirstEnergy nuclear power plants in the state.
“We are in favor of a free market, competitive system in all industries,” said Tom Humphries, chamber president. “Natural-gas- fired power plants being built across Ohio, including in Lordstown, are thriving because of a competitive marketplace.”
The ZEN program is proposed in Ohio House Bill 178 and Ohio Senate Bill 128.
The House has suspended further proceedings on the bill, and the Senate’s Public Utilities Committee is currently listening to program proponents and opponents.
“If this legislation passes, you send a loud siren into the financial world that says: Ohio is moving away from free-market system, don’t invest here,” Siderewicz said.
Siderewicz, president of Clean Energy Future LLC, has been in Columbus for weeks to contest the program. He has a power plant under construction in Lords- town and another one planned in the village and Oregon, Ohio.
“If they changed the laws, that would basically undermine the free-market system and we will pull the plug [on the projects],” Siderewicz said.
In response to the chamber’s opposition, FirstEnergy Spokeswoman Jennifer Young said the company has seen a “broad base” of support for the ZEN program from local and state officials, organizations and businesses.
“Nuclear energy is an integral component of Ohio’s electric generation portfolio, providing critical economic, environmental, grid resiliency, fuel diversity and other benefits to our state,” she said. “Despite their clear advantages, nuclear plants are facing an uncertain future. Establishing a mechanism that reflects and preserves their value, similar to what other states have already done, is in the best interest of Ohio consumers and communities.”
State Sen. Joe Schiavoni of Boardman, D-33rd, wants to see both sides sit down and “hammer out a comprehensive energy plan that is workable for everybody.”
“I am concerned with the idea of rate payer having to pay to subsidize the plants,” he said.
State Sen. Sean O’Brien of Bazetta, D-32nd, who is on Senate’s Public Utilities Committee, also has concerns. His main concern is also the rate increases to be imposed on his constituents.
“It’s going to be a tough sell,” he said. “Many of my constituents are on a fixed income. It will raise the rate of businesses, so it might be cheaper for them to go [elsewhere].”