US EditionOhio Supreme Court Guts ‘Submetering’ Business Said to Drive up Renters’ Electric Bills
The unanimous ruling sends the case back to regulators to decide whether Nationwide Energy Partners supplied electricity without proper registration, affecting tens of thousands of renters.
- On Wednesday, the Ohio Supreme Court unanimously ruled that submetering companies are public utilities, ending their long-standing exemption from state oversight and standard utility regulations.
- Justice Pat DeWine wrote that Nationwide Energy Partners functions as a utility because it sources electricity, installs equipment, and sets prices, stating, "NEP is in the business of supplying electricity to consumers."
- The decision affects 34,000 electric customers across 168 complexes, addressing complaints about bills reaching $600 after submeterers bypassed standard consumer protections like bill pay assistance.
- Ohio Consumers Counsel Maureen Willis praised the decision, stating, "No company gets to sell essential electric service in Ohio without playing by the rules," while NEP President and CEO Timothy Harper expressed disagreement.
- The Court remanded the case to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio to determine if NEP operated as an unregistered supplier within American Electric Power Ohio's territory, establishing regulatory precedent.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Associated Press News
Ohio Supreme Court guts ‘submetering’ business said to drive up renters’ electric bills
So-called “submetering” companies are in fact public utilities, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled Wednesday, driving a dagger through the heart of an industry critics say has spiked electric costs for renters who became trapped in a novel business model.
Ohio Supreme Court ruling could change how apartment renters pay for electricity
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Companies that bill apartment renters for electricity must follow the same rules as traditional utilities, under a new Ohio Supreme Court decision that will change how thousands of Ohioans pay for power.
How an Ohio court decision affects renters’ electric costs
So-called “submetering” companies are in fact public utilities, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled Wednesday, driving a dagger through the heart of an industry critics say has spiked electric costs for renters who became trapped in a novel business model. The ruling sets up a new regulatory landscape where state officials must apply a series of consumer protections and cost controls to submeterers, who for years have eluded scrutiny by the Public Uti…
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