Dick Munson: Energy Exchange

FirstEnergy and its supportive legislators have tied themselves in knots to sell their bailout bill (HB 6), a $1.4 billion money grab by a publicly traded company and its speculative, out-of-state investors that made a bad bet on a declining business. They’ve been lying to Ohioans, claiming that HB 6 is a panacea that will […]

FirstEnergy’s bailout bill (H.B. 6) – which would subsidize its uneconomic power plants and destroy state programs that encourage energy efficiency and clean energy – received a hearing in the Ohio House of Representatives last week. Two supporters testified (including FirstEnergy). Seventy three opponents testified. You can find full transcripts of the testimony here. But […]

Earlier this year, I wrote about a report that shows Ohio could net more than 20,000 jobs and $25 billion in investment dollars through energy innovation. And now we have the roadmap – with nine common-sense, concrete action steps – to get Ohio from here to there. Building on a vision The new roadmap report, […]

Last year, I highlighted how voters in Ohio overwhelmingly support developing more clean energy like solar and wind over more traditional resources like coal. Ohio has a remarkable opportunity to capture the benefits of a growing renewable energy market. A new report shows the state could boost supply chains and create local jobs by developing […]

BLOG UPDATE – September 26, 2018 The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio today approved DP&L’s rate case, described below. A new utility settlement in Ohio is loaded with promising clean-energy components. Meanwhile, Ohio-based utility giant FirstEnergy continues to cling to the energy sources of the past. Encouraging settlement Along with FirstEnergy, Duke, and AEP, Dayton Power […]

Today General Motors offers two models of electric vehicles (EVs). Within the next five years, the automotive giant will offer at least 20 EV options. That’s just one of many signs pointing to a more efficient, connected, and electrified transportation sector, which presents a prime opportunity for Ohio companies. In fact, a recent report from […]

Why should Ohio ramp up its investment in energy innovation? More than 20,000 jobs and $25 billion in capital are on the line. That’s according to a new report that outlines a vision for Ohio’s energy future and economic development. The report draws from the insights and experiences of a diverse group of advisors from […]

The following is an excerpt from Tesla, Inventor of the Modern, a new book by Dick Munson published in May 2018. Nikola Tesla gave us the electric motor, long-distance electricity transmission, radio, robots, and remote control — the very foundations of our modern economy. Perhaps less well known is that he also was a clean-energy pioneer, and he […]

A mega utility from Ohio is appealing to the Trump administration for an unprecedented $8-billion, ratepayer-funded bailout, even pointing to a 1950s Korean War Act for relief. It’s FirstEnergy’s last-ditch appeal after losing previous efforts to prop up a fleet of failing coal and nuclear plants. The company’s Washington-based lobbyists have the ears of Energy […]

California and New York often steal the spotlight on cleantech innovation, but those in the know are keeping their eye on Illinois. The energy sector has been undergoing rapid change in the Land of Lincoln, thanks to a slew of innovative initiatives. More than ever before, Illinois’ buildings are more efficient, its electric grid is […]

President Trump may soon grossly distort competitive markets for electricity. Last week, he announced his consideration of a request for “202(c),” by which he means an $8 billion proposal to bail out all merchant coal and nuclear plants in a region that spans across 13 Midwestern and Mid-Atlantic states. The request comes from FirstEnergy, the Ohio-based utility giant that […]

One state surprisingly stands out for reducing carbon emissions from electricity. Ohio saw an impressive 37.7 percent drop in its power sector’s carbon emissions from 2005 to 2015. Despite not having a stellar track record on clean energy, the Buckeye State, in fact, has become the nation’s carbon-reducing powerhouse: In absolute terms, Ohio slashed its […]

Over the past few years, Illinois has taken great strides to not only modernize its electric grid, but also to provide people and businesses with access to energy data. In February, the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) approved the release of anonymous, aggregate energy-use data on a large scale, broken out in half-hour increments, 24 hours […]

It’s understandable that FirstEnergy’s hometown newspaper, the Akron Beacon Journal, supports its own utility monopoly. Yet justifying that support and advocating for FirstEnergy’s proposed nuclear bailout on environmental grounds is a surprise…and misdirected. FirstEnergy’s proposal merely is yet another attempt to force customers to prop up its uneconomic power plants. Blanket subsidies for nuclear without […]

Even as the Trump administration moved last week to repeal the Clean Power Plan, some of the biggest American utilities indicated they’ll continue investing in clean energy and strategizing around climate change. And as they continue investing in smart meters and other grid modernization efforts, utilities will want to know how well they do. Are grid programs […]

The U.S. electricity industry is experiencing unprecedented innovation and change. The grid is getting smarter and customers can play a more active role in how their electricity is made, moved, and used. Between all the initiatives that utilities, cities, and states are pursuing and the new services and products that entrepreneurs are creating, it can […]

Last month, Facebook announced its new $750 million data center will be located in New Albany, Ohio, just north of Columbus. Why did the social media giant choose this particular spot? Apparently, Facebook likes clean energy, stating, “The availability of renewable energy sources, including wind, solar and hydro, was critical to the decision.” And Facebook […]

BLOG UPDATE – APRIL 25, 2018 The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio today approved AEP's electric security plan, described below. AEP, one of Ohio’s largest utilities, just reached an exciting new milestone that takes the state further down the path to a clean energy economy. The utility has reached a settlement that will unlock millions […]

Crain's Cleveland Business first published this op-ed on July 16, 2017.  Ohio long has been a bellwether state. Politically, no state during the past 120 years has picked more winners of presidential elections. Ohio also reflects the nation's diverse and evolving set of energy resources. In particular, this past year Ohio became ground zero in […]

Energy Exchange published an original version of this post in July 2016. This post updates the original to reflect recent developments in Illinois. As a utility executive, it is the best of times, it is the worst of times. It is the age of innovation, it is the age of stagnant tradition. With a nod […]