Davis-Besse to close or be sold?

CARROLL TWP. — More than 600 people could lose their jobs at Davis-Besse next year. FirstEnergy, which owns and operates the nuclear power station in Carroll Township, announced its intent to close or sell its two Ohio nuclear plants. "We remain committed to implementing our exit from competitive (energy) generation by mid-2018 to complete our transformation into a regulated company," said Charles Jones, president and chief executive officer of FirstEnergy, during a recent earnings call. It seems FirstEnergy leaders aren't happy with their company's performance in the energy production business. That's likely because Ohio's energy market is highly competitive, and it's becoming difficult for nuclear plants to turn a profit. "Competitive market conditions continue to deteriorate with weak power prices, insufficient results from recent capacity auctions and anemic demand forecasts," FirstEnergy spokeswoman Jennifer Young previously told the Register. FirstEnergy's nuclear power plants, which includes Davis-Besse, were discussed numerous times during a recent company earnings call. "Our top priority is the preservation of our two nuclear plants in Ohio, and legislation for the zero-emission nuclear program is expected to be introduced soon," Jones said during the call. "We believe this (Ohio) legislation would preserve not only zero-emission assets, but jobs, economic growth, fuel diversity, price stability, and reliability and grid security for the region."Dubbed "Zero Emission Credits," the legislation, which is based on similar programs from across the nation, could assist in stabilizing the nuclear energy market in Ohio through a form of compensation. State representative Steve Arndt, R-Port Clinton, said the legislation is still in its early stages. "We don't know for sure at this point whether we have enough the votes in the Ohio House or the Ohio Senate to adopt something like this," Arndt said. "The draft hasn't completed yet."The legislature, if approved, could help the potential future owner of Davis-Besse. "We are going to work hard on this legislation because I believe it's the right thing to do for the state of Ohio," Jones said. "I believe it's the right thing to do for these assets. I believe it's the right thing to do for our employees that work at these facilities. And I think it's the right thing to do for those communities that these big, huge manufacturing facilities are resident in." Local needsDavis-Besse has shown it's a vital asset to Ottawa County. For instance, taxes from the nuclear plant account for roughly 40 percent of the Benton-Carroll-Salem Schools' everyday operating budget. Additionally, it would be difficult to replace the more than 600 jobs at Davis-Besse. "We would be devastated if the facility closed down," Ottawa County commissioner Jim Sass said. "We're hopeful a long-term solution can be developed. We're ready to assist in any way we can."Reach reporter Patrick Pfanner at pfanner@sanduskyregister.com, follow him on Twitter @PatPfanner and follow the Register at Facebook.com/SanduskyRegisterDavis-Besse Nuclear Power Station.The FirstEnergy Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station.