January 10, 2024 | Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) joined Pat O’Loughlin, the President and CEO of ƹ϶Ƶ’s Electric Cooperatives and Buckeye Power, Inc., on a news conference call to talk about his commitment to lowering energy costs for rural ƹ϶Ƶans and his effort to fix a new EPA draft rule that could undermine grid reliability. Brown is calling on the EPA to work with labor and industry on a final rule that reduces pollution while maintaining affordable power, and protecting ƹ϶Ƶ jobs and American energy independence.
“Electric cooperatives are a key part of our communities and our local economies, and a key part of keeping electric costs low. That’s why when ƹ϶Ƶ co-ops brought their concerns to me about a proposed EPA rule, we took action,” said Brown. “And now we’re encouraging EPA to revise it with input from industry and labor – and put forward a regulation that doesn’t raise ƹ϶Ƶans’ electric bills.”
“ƹ϶Ƶ’s Electric Cooperatives appreciate Senator Brown’s support for the concerns we have raised about EPA’s proposed rule on power plant emissions. Electric consumers across the country, and here in rural ƹ϶Ƶ, depend on us today more than ever to provide a reliable supply of electricity at an affordable price,” said Pat O’Loughlin. “Unfortunately, EPA’s proposed regulations create unrealistic mandates that threaten our ability to meet this need. We continue to see a growing demand for electricity to support our daily lives. We can’t afford poorly conceived rules that would force further reductions in our traditional power supply resources that are able to respond in challenging conditions when electricity is needed most.”
ƹ϶Ƶ’s Electric Cooperatives and Buckeye Power, Inc. is a statewide services organization of 25 electric cooperatives that work to provide more than 380,000 homes and businesses in 77 of ƹ϶Ƶ’s 88 counties with affordable power. Buckeye Power, Inc. provides affordable and reliable electricity to these 25 member cooperatives, who then distribute it to ƹ϶Ƶ homes and businesses, and it is owned and governed by the cooperatives it serves.