Rep. Brennan Responds to PUCO's Reconnect Order Decision: "Ohio Families Deserve Stronger Protections"

COLUMBUS – State Rep. Sean Patrick Brennan (D-Parma), a member of the House Energy Committee, Monday issued the following statement in response to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio’s (PUCO) decision to once again decline stronger seasonal protections for at-risk Ohio consumers in its 2025–2026 Special Reconnect Order:

“While I appreciate the continuation of the Special Reconnect Order and recognize the relief it provides to thousands of Ohioans, I am deeply disappointed that the Commission once again refused to adopt the additional safeguards requested by the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel and Ohio Partners for Affordable Energy.

As the son of a single mom who often worried about keeping the lights and heat on, I know firsthand the fear that comes with the possibility of a utility shutoff. That experience drives my belief that disconnections—especially for families with children—should not be happening in Ohio. No child should have to go to bed at night wondering whether the furnace will be running, or the power will still be on.

Last winter, more than 328K Ohioans had their service disconnected. That number is staggering, and it underscores the need for stronger, not weaker, consumer protections. The Commission had before it reasonable proposals—such as a moratorium on winter disconnections, extending protections to the hottest summer months, and suspending shutoffs during National Weather Service advisories—that would have kept vulnerable families safe. Yet, for the third consecutive year, those requests were denied.

I am grateful to the Consumers’ Counsel and Ohio Partners for Affordable Energy for continuing to champion these issues, and I will continue to lend my voice and legislative role in support of stronger protections. This is not only an issue of fairness—it is an issue of public health and safety. Access to utility service is a basic necessity of modern life, and we cannot turn a blind eye to the growing affordability crisis that puts families, seniors, and children at risk.

Ohio families deserve better than the same limited order year after year. I urge the PUCO to reconsider its approach moving forward and take bold steps to ensure that no Ohioan is left in the dark or cold because they could not afford a bill.”