HB 15: Amend competitive retail electric service law
The bill aims to amend the competitive retail electric service law in Ohio to promote economic development in areas impacted by the decline of the coal industry. It designates priority investment areas, which are brownfields or former coal mines, and allows for tax exemptions for qualifying property in these areas for five years. The bill also establishes a brownfield remediation program to award grants for projects that remediate and reuse brownfields and former coal mines. The program is administered by the director of development and has a maximum grant amount of $10 million per project. Additionally, the bill creates a brownfield remediation fund to support the program and reserves funds for each county in the state.<br>This bill allows school districts to enter into contracts with energy services companies to install energy-saving measures in their buildings. The contracts can be i…
| Aug. 14, 2025 | Effective |
| May. 15, 2025 | Signed By The Governor |
| May. 07, 2025 | Sent To The Governor |
| Apr. 30, 2025 | Passed |
| Apr. 30, 2025 | Concurred in Senate amendments |
ANACT
Section 1
To amend sections 122.6511, 3313.372, 3313.373, 4905.03, 4906.01, 4906.03, 4906.06, 4906.07, 4906.10, 4909.04, 4909.05, 4909.052, 4909.06, 4909.07, 4909.08, 4909.15, 4909.156, 4909.173, 4909.174, 4909.18, 4909.19, 4909.191, 4909.42, 4928.01, 4928.05, 4928.08, 4928.14, 4928.141, 4928.142, 4928.144, 4928.17, 4928.20, 4928.23, 4928.231, 4928.232, 4928.34, 4928.542, 4928.64, 4928.645, 4929.20, 4933.81, 4935.04, 5727.01, 5727.111, and 5727.75; to enact sections 122.161, 3313.377, 3313.378, 4903.27, 4905.23, 4905.311, 4905.321, 4905.331, 4909.041, 4909.042, 4909.159, 4909.181, 4909.192, 4909.193, 4909.421, 4928.041, 4928.101, 4928.102, 4928.103, 4928.104, 4928.105, 4928.149, 4928.1410, 4928.73, 4928.83, 4928.86, 4929.221, 4929.222, and 5727.76; and to repeal sections $3706.40,3706.41,3706.43,3706.431,3706.45$, 3706.46, 3706.49, 3706.491, 3706.55, 3706.551, 3706.59, 3706.63, 3706.65, 4906.105, 4928.143, 4928.148, 4928.47, and 4928.642 of the Revised Code to amend the competitive retail electric service law, modify taxation of certain public utility property, and repeal parts of H.B. 6 of the 133rd General Assembly.
Section 2
That existing sections 122.6511, 3313.372, 3313.373, 4905.03, 4906.01, 4906.03, 4906.06, 4906.07, 4906.10, 4909.04, 4909.05, 4909.052, 4909.06, 4909.07, 4909.08, 4909.15, 4909.156, 4909.173, 4909.174, 4909.18, 4909.19, 4909.191, 4909.42, 4928.01, 4928.05, 4928.08, 4928.14, 4928.141, 4928.142, 4928.144, 4928.17, 4928.20, 4928.23, 4928.231, 4928.232, 4928.34, 4928.542, 4928.64, 4928.645, 4929.20, 4933.81, 4935.04, 5727.01, 5727.111, and 5727.75 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.
Section 3
That sections $3706.40,3706.41,3706.43,3706.431,3706.45,3706.46,3706.49,3706.491,3706.55,3706.551,3706.59,3706.63,3706.65,4906.105,4928.143,4928.148,4928.47$, and 4928.642 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.
Section 4
Beginning on the effective date of this section, no electric distribution utility shall collect from its retail customers in this state any charge that was authorized under section 4928.148 of the Revised Code prior to the repeal of that section by this act for retail recovery of prudently incurred costs related to a legacy generation resource. Beginning on the effective date of this section, the electric distribution utility shall not apply for, and the public utilities commission shall not authorize, any rider or cost recovery mechanism for a legacy generation resource.
The public utilities commission shall continue any investigation commenced pursuant to section 4928.148 of the Revised Code prior to the repeal of that section by this act for purposes of determining the prudence and reasonableness of the actions of electric distribution utilities with ownership interests in the legacy generation resource, including their decisions related to offering the contractual commitment into the wholesale markets, and excluding from recovery those costs that the commission determines imprudent and unreasonable.
Section 5
(A) Beginning on the effective date of this section, no electric distribution utility shall collect from its retail customers in the state any charge that was authorized under section 3706.46 of the Revised Code to meet the revenue requirement for disbursements from the Solar Generation Fund to owners or operators of qualifying solar resources that was required under section 3706.55 of the Revised Code before the repeal of these sections by this act.
(B) Except as provided for in division (C) of this section, beginning on the effective date of this section, the Ohio Air Quality Development Authority is prohibited from directing the Treasurer of State to remit, and the Treasurer is prohibited from remitting, any money from the Solar Generation Fund to owners or operators of qualifying solar resources, which remittance was permitted under section 3706.55 of the Revised Code prior to the repeal of that section by this act.
(C) Within forty-five days of the effective date of this section, the Authority shall do the following:
- Forecast the future payments expected to be made under section 3706.55 of the Revised Code, as that section existed prior to the effective date of its repeal by H.B. 15 of the 136th General Assembly, to the owners or operators of qualifying solar resources that received one or more solar energy credits in 2024 based on the resource's average production for the prior three years. For a qualifying solar resource that has not generated electricity for a full year as of the effective date of this section, the forecast shall be based on production to date, extrapolated for an annual average.
- Direct the Treasurer of State to calculate and remit the net present value of those payments upfront to the owners or operators of the qualifying solar resources.
As soon as possible after remitting the net present value of those payments to the owners or operators of the qualifying solar resources, the Treasurer of State shall transfer the cash balance of amounts remaining in the solar generation fund to the school energy performance contracting loan fund created in section 3313.378 of the Revised Code.
Section 6
Sections 4909.193 and 4909.421 as enacted by this act and the amendments to sections 4909.19 and 4909.42 of the Revised Code by this act apply to applications filed under section 4909.18 of the Revised Code on or after the effective date of this section.
Section 7
(A) The Public Utilities Commission shall conduct a study to evaluate the potential use or deployment of advanced transmission technologies, as defined in section 4906.01 of the Revised Code, by public utilities to enable public utilities to safely, reliably, efficiently, and cost-effectively meet electric system demand and provide safe, reliable, and affordable electric utility service to customers. In conducting the study, the Commission shall do the following:
- Evaluate the attributes, functions, costs, and benefits of various advanced transmission technologies, including grid-enhancing technologies and advanced conductors;
- Evaluate the potential of each of the advanced transmission technologies studied to be used or deployed by public utilities to provide safe, reliable, and affordable electric utility service to customers, considering existing and planned transmission infrastructure and projected demand growth;
- Identify the potential reductions in project costs and project completion timelines by deploying advanced transmission technologies, as compared to traditional transmission infrastructure;
- Evaluate potential ways to streamline the deployment of advanced transmission technologies, including streamlined processes for permitting, maintenance, and upgrades;
- Evaluate other deregulated states' policies and laws relating to advanced transmission technologies and provide recommendations in accordance with other states' policies and laws to enable and encourage adoption of advanced transmission technologies in this state;
- Identify processes or ways that end-use customers, such as industrial or mercantile customers, can invest and deploy advanced transmission technologies in partnership with their respective utility to allow for the more rapid deployment of such technologies;
- Identify how the Commission can support and encourage the implementation of advanced transmission technologies in Ohio through future rule-making or other Commission activities;
- Evaluate any other aspect of advanced transmission technologies that the Commission determines will assist policymakers, public utilities, ratepayers, and other stakeholders in understanding the potential role of advanced transmission technologies in the transmission system serving this state and the region;
- Identify opportunities for the Federal Energy Advocate, as employed under section 4928.24 of the Revised Code, to support and advocate for the implementation of advanced transmission technologies at the regional transmission organization, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and other relevant agencies, commissions or regulatory bodies.
(B) In conducting the study required by this section, the Commission shall consult with or invite comments from stakeholders. The Commission shall hold a minimum of two public workshops to review public comments from stakeholders. The Commission may incorporate any information or comments received in its report required in division (C) of this section.
(C) Not later than March 1, 2026, the Commission shall submit a report that includes the Commission's findings with respect to the topics outlined in this section. A copy of the report shall be made available online and sent to all members of the General Assembly.
Section 8
The amendment by this act of sections 5727.01 and 5727.111 of the Revised Code applies to tax year 2027 and every tax year thereafter.
Section 9
Section 122.6511 of the Revised Code as presented in this act takes effect on the later of July 1, 2025, or the effective date of this section. July 1, 2025, is the effective date of an earlier amendment to that section by H.B. 315 of the 135th General Assembly.
Section 10
An agreement between an electric distribution utility and a mercantile customer or group of mercantile customers for the construction of a customer sited renewable energy resource that is executed and filed with the public utilities commission prior to the effective date of H.B. 15 of the 136th General Assembly shall remain in effect according to the agreement's terms and be governed by section 4928.47 of the Revised Code as that section existed prior to being repealed by H.B. 15 of the 136th General Assembly.
Section 11
Section 4928.01 of the Revised Code is presented in this act as a composite of the section as amended by both H.B. 308 and H.B. 315 of the 135th General Assembly. The General Assembly, applying the principle stated in division (B) of section 1.52 of the Revised Code that amendments are to be harmonized if reasonably capable of simultaneous operation, finds that the composite is the resulting version of the section in effect prior to the effective date of the section as presented in this act.
Section 12
Sub. H. B. No. 15 136th G.A.
Speaker $\qquad$ of the House of Representatives.
President $\qquad$ of the Senate.
Passed $\qquad$ , 20 $\qquad$
Approved $\qquad$ , 20 $\qquad$
Governor.
Sub. H. B. No. 15 136th G.A.
The section numbering of law of a general and permanent nature is complete and in conformity with the Revised Code.
Director, Legislative Service Commission.
Filed in the office of the Secretary of State at Columbus, Ohio, on the $\qquad$ day of $\qquad$ , A. D. 20 $\qquad$ .
Secretary of State.
File No. $\qquad$ Effective Date $\qquad$