As state law limits how municipalities can regulate power utility providers, is there the will at city hall to sponsor a statewide ballot initiative to pass constitutional reform that could allow for greater regulation and accountability by these firms? This ballot measure could impose greater financial penalties and rebates to the rate payers when service is degraded below acceptable levels. It could also be used to levy taxes on data center property and consumption to discourage additional infrastructure being built that would draw on our strained power grid.
These initiatives would be difficult to get in front of the voters- especially with the resources that would oppose it. But a coalition of municipalities may have a vastly better chance of getting this to the states voters. Is there any appetite to resolve this issue by leveraging citizen-led ballot initiatives? Thank you.
I am SO tired of not having reliable power in Lakewood. This has been years of our power going out on a regular basis, and you would never know that we were without power based on our bills? My five year old wants to know why the leaders of First Energy are so greedy and suggests that THEY pay US instead. It’s hard to argue with that. I want First Energy to be held accountable for being a major utility, responsible for delivering reliable power. If they can’t do that, they have no business being in business. I send my complaints into PUCO too, but I am fully in support of Lakewood taking aggressive action against First Energy and truly exploring what it would mean to not be reliant on them any more - what would it take to move to city-owned transmission infrastructure? Probably a lot, but honestly, I'm not sure that FE will take our complaints seriously until we show them that we mean business (and hurt their bottom line).
As state law limits how municipalities can regulate power utility providers, is there the will at city hall to sponsor a statewide ballot initiative to pass constitutional reform that could allow for greater regulation and accountability by these firms? This ballot measure could impose greater financial penalties and rebates to the rate payers when service is degraded below acceptable levels. It could also be used to levy taxes on data center property and consumption to discourage additional infrastructure being built that would draw on our strained power grid.
These initiatives would be difficult to get in front of the voters- especially with the resources that would oppose it. But a coalition of municipalities may have a vastly better chance of getting this to the states voters. Is there any appetite to resolve this issue by leveraging citizen-led ballot initiatives? Thank you.
I am SO tired of not having reliable power in Lakewood. This has been years of our power going out on a regular basis, and you would never know that we were without power based on our bills? My five year old wants to know why the leaders of First Energy are so greedy and suggests that THEY pay US instead. It’s hard to argue with that. I want First Energy to be held accountable for being a major utility, responsible for delivering reliable power. If they can’t do that, they have no business being in business. I send my complaints into PUCO too, but I am fully in support of Lakewood taking aggressive action against First Energy and truly exploring what it would mean to not be reliant on them any more - what would it take to move to city-owned transmission infrastructure? Probably a lot, but honestly, I'm not sure that FE will take our complaints seriously until we show them that we mean business (and hurt their bottom line).