#zecs

This past November, FirstEnergy announced its intentions to close or sell its coal and nuclear plants in Ohio and Pennsylvania operated by its power generation subsidiaries.  The reasons given for this action was to preserve FirstEnergy’s credit rating and to focus FirstEnergy’s operations on the regulated power distribution business.  Recently, FirstEnergy’s CEO, Chuck Jones, confirmed that FirstEnergy still plans to exit the deregulated power generation business; however, Jones explained that FirstEnergy is lobbying Ohio legislators to provide Zero Emission Credits (ZECs) for the clean electricity generated by its plants in order to increase the likelihood of a successful sale.

“We believe that (zero emission credit) legislation would preserve not only zero emission assets, but jobs and security for the region … Even though FirstEnergy won't be the long-term owner of these assets.“

FirstEnergy CEO Chuck Jones

Recently, Illinois and New York put in place ZECs, which are credited with preserving the continued operation of 7 nuclear reactors.  In Ohio, ZECs would likely save the Davis-Bessie and Perry Plants.  These two plants generate 90% of Ohio’s clean electricity.

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