The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio this week launched plans to conduct an independent audit of FirstEnergy’s compliance with corporate separation rules.
Consumer advocacy groups like the Ohio Consumers Council have asked for an independent audit since September, before the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) launched its original probe into the company following former House Speaker Larry Householder’s criminal indictment in July.
That initial PUCO investigation centered only around whether FirstEnergy’s lobbying efforts were supported by ratepayer money. The third-party audit the commission announced Wednesday will probe the company’s finances during the time period leading up to the passage of House Bill 6.
Auditor proposals will be due Nov. 25. The PUCO will choose an auditor by Dec. 2, and the report will be due in April 2021.
