Buckeye Reporter

The Ohio House of Representatives has passed House Bill 15, a significant piece of energy generation legislation, in a 90-3 vote. State Representative Jamie Callender (R-Concord) announced the bill, which aims to reform Ohio's energy infrastructure and enhance transparency for consumers. Central to the bill are measures that boost energy generation capacity by lowering tax burdens and easing regulatory procedures for new sites, while amendments were made to protect communities already hosting energy facilities.

Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration reveals that in 2023, Ohio's energy production stood at 133,223,464 megawatt hours (MWh) against a consumption of 146,640,983 MWhs, highlighting a decade-long deficit. Though there has been recent growth, Ohio's electricity generation today remains below 2013 levels, dropping from 137 million MWhs to 133 million MWhs.

To stimulate the development of new energy capacity, House Bill 15 reduces the Tangible Personal Property (TPP) tax rate on new generation equipment from 25% to 7%, and on transmission and infrastructure from 88% to 25%, to take effect in tax year 2027. This reform aims to align Ohio’s tax rates with neighboring states.

Amendments to the bill removed provisions that would have eliminated the TPP tax on existing facilities such as the Perry Nuclear Power Plant, a significant revenue source for local institutions like Perry Local Schools, the Perry Joint Fire District, and organizations throughout Lake County.

Dominic Chiappone, Fire Chief for the Perry Joint Fire District, stated, "In addition to providing fire and EMS services to residents and businesses within Perry Township, Village, and North Perry, the Perry Joint Fire District serves as mutual aid for the safety services at the Perry Nuclear Power Plant. This requires additional training for our firefighters and added equipment for our ready bags. Had the revenue from the plant dried up, our mission would remain the same but the resources to support our local communities would have been significantly reduced."

Rep. Callender emphasized the importance of the plant stating, "When I decided to return to the Ohio General Assembly in 2018, one of my primary reasons for running was to protect the Perry Nuclear Power Plant. The plant supports hundreds of good paying jobs for the residents of Lake County while acting as a significant tax base for local and countywide services. I want to thank the community members, local and county officials, and my fellow legislators who joined me in successfully advocating to maintain the tax rate on the plant."

The bill will now move to the Ohio Senate for further hearings.