PUCO announces vacancy; OCC urges appointment of commissioner focused on protecting consumers

Courtesy of Jon.Blackwood
Ohio Consumers’ Counsel 

 The PUCO has announced an upcoming vacancy on its five-member commission. The opening is for the seat currently held by Commissioner Dennis Deters, whose term concludes in May 2026. Here is a link to the PUCO’s announcement: https://puco.ohio.gov/news/puco-nominating-council-2026
 
The PUCO Nominating Council will review applications and submit four finalists to the Governor for consideration. Applications must be received by 5 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. 
 
The Ohio Consumers’ Counsel (OCC) encourages qualified Ohioans who value consumer protection, ethical governance, and independence from utility influence to apply.
 
In recent years, consumers have often been underrepresented on the Commission. At times, a majority of PUCO commissioners have had ties to the utility industry—raising longstanding concerns about balance, independence, and public confidence in the regulatory process
 
OCC has consistently supported reforms to strengthen the commissioner selection process and ensure greater consumer representation. Those reforms include expanding commissioner qualifications to better include consumer advocates and allowing OCC to nominate a candidate for one of the five PUCO seats.  Senate Bill 99, sponsored by Senator Hicks-Hudson and Senator DeMora, advances these and other transparency and accountability reforms.
 
OCC Governing Board Chair Michael Watkins has repeatedly urged the PUCO nominating council to review and modernize its procedures, including reforms to improve transparency and reduce conflicts of interest. To date, the Council has not convened to consider those proposals.
 
Last year, the Ohio Ethics Commission required the PUCO to share financial disclosures for conflict-of interest review. The Nominating Council is now requesting those disclosures from applicants—a positive step. However, OCC supports additional reforms to ensure a fair, independent, and consumer-focused Commission.
 
The House Bill 6 scandal made clear that Ohio’s utility regulatory system must be structured to prevent conflicts of interest and undue influence before they occur. 

The lesson is not simply about past misconduct, but about strengthening safeguards going forward – ensuring that commissioners are independent, ethical and focused on protecting consumers from unjust rates. Rebuilding public trust requires a PUCO that is transparent, accountable, and guided by the interests of Ohio families, not the utilities it regulates.
 
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