The Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel filed a motion July 25 calling for a formal PUCO investigation into electrical outages in Barberton and other Northeast Ohio communities.
In a late afternoon news release, the OCC, a state agency that serves as a legal representative for Ohio’s electric, natural gas, telephone and water service consumers, said it is seeking public hearings in the matter.
After numerous power outages in Barberton, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio said July 7 that it would investigate the problem following a June 30 letter from the city’s mayor and council members.
“The PUCO is looking into concerns about recurring power outages in the Barberton area,” PUCO director of Public Affairs Matt Schilling told the Akron Beacon Journal in a July 7 email.
OCC seeks more formal investigation of Barberton outages
The OCC, however, called for a formal investigation that would allow for public participation and evidentiary hearings on the outages.
“FirstEnergy consumers deserve answers about the outages — best gotten from a formal, public investigation process where consumers can be heard and evidence produced, explored, challenged, and debated,” Maureen Willis, Agency Director of the Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel said in a prepared statement. “The PUCO’s informal investigation doesn’t cut it.”
Barberton Councilman Thomas “Bebe” Heitic has introduced a resolution in council calling for a $100 credit for the city’s FirstEnergy customers. That resolution is scheduled to be considered at the July 28 council meeting.
The councilman has been a frequent critic of FirstEnergy’s performance and its response to address the issues.
In the city’s letter to the PUCO, the mayor and council detailed business losses and residents’ health concerns resulting from the “unprecedented number of power outages.”
Investigation about whether FirstEnergy has been negligent
The OCC voiced similar concerns in its motion.
“Part of OCC’s ask is that the PUCO make findings in a formal, docketed investigation about whether FirstEnergy has been negligent with regard to its outages and owes consumers compensation for perishable food and other damages,” the news release said.
In its motion filed the morning of July 25, the OCC argued for public local hearings.
“The local hearings (in-person and virtual) should be webcast,” the motion said. “That would be consistent with Ohio law requiring openness and transparency of PUCO proceedings.”
The effect of the Barberton outages spanned residential and commercial customers. For two businesses, Durbin’s Magic Freeze and Leach’s Meats, the outages caused the loss of thousands of dollars in profits.
More: Power outages spark frustration, product losses at Durbin Magic Freeze and Leach’s Meats
At a Barberton City Council meeting July 9, a FirstEnergy official explained reasons for the continued outages, including inclement weather, tree overgrowth, infrastructure issues and ospreys. He also detailed current and future plans for infrastructure improvements.
OCC seeks rigorous, open investigation
In its motion, the OCC said that consumers deserve a “formal, public investigation process.”
“To date, the PUCO’s investigation does not have a case number,” the motion reads. “OCC is concerned that the investigation may not be as rigorous as needed if it is not largely a transparent, open, and formal public process.”
The OCC asked the PUCO to determine if about $456 million in funds collected from 2017 to 2019 that were later declared unlawful should have been used to improve its electric distribution system.
A copy of the 23-page motion is available at https://shorturl.at/qVUPY.
Phone messages were left after normal business hours with FirstEnergy requesting comment.
Leave a message for Alan Ashworth at 330-996-3859 or email him at aashworth@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @newsalanbeaconj or Facebook at www.facebook.com/alan.newsman.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: ‘Consumers deserve answers’ about power outages in Barberton, OCC says