This piece by The Toledo Blade covers a controversial bill introduced in the Ohio House that is considered by some to be a nuclear bailout that disadvantages other renewable energy sources. The AEE perspective is given by Ted Ford, president of Ohio Advanced Energy Economy. See excerpts below and the entire Blade story here:

A bailout for nuclear power plants?

“It is the white elephant in the room, isn’t it?” said Rep. Jamie Callender (R., Concord).

An Ohio House committee wasted little time beginning hearings Tuesday on a bill introduced Friday to financially reward the generation of electricity in Ohio that emits no or little carbon pollution while eliminating current law requiring utilities to find more renewable sources for their power and reduce energy consumption overall…

The bill also specifies that only solar fields generating 50 megawatts or more of power would be eligible to participate. There is currently no field in Ohio generating that much, although there are proposals in the pipeline.

“This bill is nowhere close to being a comprehensive approach to Ohio’s energy future in the best interest of consumers,” said Ted Ford, president of Ohio Advanced Energy Economy. “Instead it significantly increases rates on all consumers to the tune of $300 million annually and directs nearly $180 million of hard-earned ratepayer dollars into the coffers of FirstEnergy Solutions.” 

See the complete Blade story here.