Dive Summary:
- A coalition of consumer advocacy organizations, including the Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel, the Ohio Partners for Affordable Energy and the AARP, are voicing fears that the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio's (PUCO) investigation of the state's electricity market is ignoring consumers' concerns.
- A letter signed by the coalition read, “[C]onsumer protection issues should be given the same (or greater) level of regulatory attention in this process as the attention now being devoted to the market structure issues that are the current focus of the workshops."
- The letter cites fears that Ohio consumers will have plenty of options but little information, fostering a situation where electricity retailers can mislead and deceive consumers. Dave Rinebolt, executive director of Ohio Partners for Affordable Energy, said, “If you believe in free markets, and I believe in free markets, then you need to have the seller selling to an informed customer."
- PUCO claims these concerns are valid but are not part of the investigation named in the letter; they are instead part of another ongoing investigation into consumer issues, according to PUCO.
From the article:
A few patterns emerged [from the investigation]:
- Alternative electricity suppliers, such as Direct Energy, are saying they are too often hindered in their pursuit of customers, including unfair competition from utilities that offer regulated prices.
- Utilities, such as FirstEnergy, are saying that it is premature to consider a dramatic shift in market structure that would end regulated prices.
- Consumer advocates are asking for a broad look at the solicitation practices of the alternative suppliers, while also calling for regulators to continue regulated prices.