LIMA, OH (WLIO) - Energy officials say the state could be facing rolling blackouts as federal mandates closed power plants, one Ohio senator says that Ohio needs to fight back to keep the power flowing.
Rob McColley from Ohio's 1st District was the keynote speaker for the Allen County Republican Luncheon. Recently, a senate committee met to talk about future energy problems that stem from increased regulations on fossil fuel plants. Currently, green energy sources have not been able to make up the difference in the lost coal and natural gas plant production. McColley says the federal government needs to reverse its policy before the power grid sees problems during extreme heat and cold situations.
"They knew exactly what this is going to do the generators of those plants. Natural gas plants said, oh by the way from an emission standpoint are night and day better than our coal plants that have been shut down," says Rob McColley, (R) Ohio's 1st District State Senator. "Nevertheless, they are pushing against them into a situation where four or five years from now we can be facing a very uncertain energy supply."
State Issue 1 passed during the November election, overturning the ban on abortion after a heartbeat is detected, Republican lawmakers said the issue is not over. McColley says the Senate doesn't have anything currently in the works, but they are waiting until the constitutional amendment goes into effect to see what their next move will be.
"I know there is some uncertainty in existing lawsuits that is going on right now, to what the extent or what the interpretation of that language is going to be," adds McColley. "So, I guess we are going to let it play out."
McColley serves as the majority floor leader in the Ohio Senate.
