The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. Credit: PUCO

Regulatory proceedings have big impacts on how much Ohioans pay for their electric service.

How would you decide some of Ohio’s cases on electricity rates? Each of the following problems is drawn from a real case decided by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio or the Ohio Supreme Court. 

The PUCO’s five commissioners are appointed by the governor for rotating five-year terms, while the court’s seven justices are elected. As of March, five of the seven justices on the court were Republicans, and two were Democrats. 

Decide how you would resolve each problem. Then see how your answer compares to what actually happened.

To charge, or not to charge? You decide.


This article is part of a joint investigative project by Eye on Ohio and the Energy News Network. 

Kathi is the author of 25 books and more than 600 articles, and writes often on science and policy issues. In addition to her journalism career, Kathi is an alumna of Harvard Law School and has spent 15 years practicing law. She is a member of the Society of Environmental Journalists and the National Association of Science Writers. Kathi covers the state of Ohio.