FirstEnergy’s Ohio electric companies, Ohio Edison, The Illuminating Company and Toledo Edison, have filed a proposed Electric Security Plan (ESP) with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO).
The plan supports the utilities’ commitment of investing in and maintaining the electric grid while providing customer assistance programs and energy efficiency initiatives to help customers manage and control their electric bills. Utilities in Ohio are requested to file plans to establish electric service for their customers, and this proposal is FirstEnergy's sixth ESP (ESP6).
ESP6 preserves the ability for customers to select their own energy supplier and maintains an auction process to determine the pricing and supply of electricity for customers dependent on their company for all aspects of their electric service. The plan also retains recent enhancements to the auction process aimed at boosting participation by energy suppliers, which will help keep bills low for customers who do not shop.
The companies propose that the ESP6 term will start post the approval of new base rates and extend through May 31, 2028. ESP6 supports additional investments in the electric system, including grid modernization, maintenance such as storm restoration work and increased tree trimming, energy efficiency programs and bill assistance measures.
The plan includes:
- Provisions to enable the companies' continued maintenance of the distribution grid, including an enhanced tree-trimming program to accelerate the removal of trees and brush, which are a leading contributor to outages during major weather events.
- Energy efficiency programs for residential customers, including a smart thermostat rebate program and a low-income energy efficiency program, to help them save energy, reduce their bills and ease their environmental impact, as well as continuing the companies' demand response program for commercial and industrial customers.
- Commitment to spend $6.5 million each year of the ESP, without recovery from customers, on initiatives to assist customers and enhance the customer experience, including low-income and senior citizen bill payment assistance programs.
On ESP6 approval, the average FirstEnergy Ohio residential customer using 750 kWh of electricity per month is expected to witness an initial increase of approximately $3.40, or 2.7%, on their electric bill. The estimated average impact on these customers' bills is an increase of 1.7% over the term of the plan.
