Chapter 4901:5-21 | Coal Allotment

Rule 4901:5-21-01 | Definitions.

• Effective: February 15, 2018
• Promulgated Under: 111.15

As used in this chapter:

(A) "Coal supplier" means all prime coal suppliers, wholesale purchaser resellers, and other persons who sell or resell coal to consumers.

(B) "Commission" means the public utilities commission of Ohio.

(C) "Consumer" means a person who consumes coal at a specified location.

(D) "Energy emergency" means:

(1) The governor has filed a written declaration of an energy emergency pursuant to section 4935.03 of the Revised Code, having found that the health, safety, or welfare of the residents of this state or of one or more counties of this state is so imminently and substantially threatened by an energy shortage with regard to the supply of coal that immediate action of state government is necessary to prevent loss of life, protect the public health or safety, and prevent unnecessary or avoidable damage to property; and

(2) Such written declaration is in effect and has not been terminated.

(E) "Fuel source advisory council" means the advisory group formed by the chairperson of the commission to monitor and advise the commission concerning fuel supply or energy shortages and related matters.

(F) "Hardship" means actual or threatened conditions of substantial discomfort and/or economic dislocation.

(G) "Nonpriority use" means all use of coal other than priority use.

(H) "Person" means an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, state or federal agency, or association.

(I) "Priority use" means the minimum amount of coal necessary for protection of the public's health and safety, and for prevention of unnecessary or avoidable damage to:

(1) Residences (including, but not limited to, homes, apartments, nursing homes, institutions, and facilities for permanent residents or transients).

(2) Hospitals.

(3) Medical and human life-support systems and facilities.

(4) Electric power generating facilities and central heating plants serving the public.

(5) Telephone, radio, television, and newspaper facilities.

(6) Local and suburban transit systems and air terminal facilities.

(7) Police and firefighting facilities, emergency management and response facilities, military bases, federal facilities essential to national defense, and Ohio national guard facilities.

(8) Water supply and pumping facilities.

(9) Sanitary service facilities for collection, treatment, or disposal of community sewage.

(10) Production facilities for natural gas, artificial or synthetic gas, propane, and petroleum fuels, and fuel refineries.

(11) Pipeline transmission and distribution facilities for natural gas, artificial or synthetic gas, propane, and petroleum fuels.

(12) Coal mines and related facilities.

(13) Production, processing, distribution, and storage facilities for perishable medicines and medical supplies, dairy products, meat, fish, poultry, eggs, produce, grain, breads, and livestock and poultry feed.

(14) Buildings and facilities, limited to protecting the physical plant and structure, appurtenances, equipment, product inventories, raw materials, livestock, and other real or personal property.

(15) Such other similar facilities as may be determined by the commission to be a priority use.

Last updated July 17, 2023 at 12:14 PM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 4935.03
Amplifies: 4935.03
Five Year Review Date: 6/26/2028
Prior Effective Dates: 7/2/1984

Rule 4901:5-21-02 | General provisions.

• Effective: November 4, 2012
• Promulgated Under: 111.15

(A) In anticipation of an imminent energy emergency or during a declared energy emergency, each coal supplier shall be required to answer commission staff's questions, as well as to update its company's contact information with the commission.

(B) The commission's fuel source advisory council may notify and advise the chairperson of the commission about coal supply problems and shortages and may make recommendations, including the need for the governor to declare an energy emergency and to implement rule 4901:5-21-04 of the Administrative Code.

(C) The chairperson of the commission shall notify the governor when, based on the information available to the chairperson, the chairperson believes that either of the following conditions exists:

(1) An energy emergency may exist with regard to the supply of coal.

(2) An energy emergency no longer exists with regard to the supply of coal.

(D) The commission may, upon an application or a motion filed by a party, waive any requirement of this chapter, other than a requirement mandated by statute, for good cause shown.

(E) The commission may direct the attorney general to bring an action for immediate injunction or other appropriate relief to enforce commission orders and to secure immediate compliance with this chapter.

Last updated July 17, 2023 at 12:14 PM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 4935.03
Amplifies: 4935.03
Five Year Review Date: 6/26/2028
Prior Effective Dates: 6/24/1978, 2/27/2010

Rule 4901:5-21-03 | Enforcement on governor's instruction.

• Effective: July 7, 2023
• Promulgated Under: 111.15

(A) No rule in this chapter shall be implemented, other than rule 4901:5-21-02 of the Administrative Code, until the governor, by executive order, during a declared energy emergency, specifically designates by rule number and title which rule or rules are to be implemented and enforced and fixes the date and time after which the named rule or rules shall be implemented or enforced.

(B) Alternatively, the governor may request, under section 4935.03 of the Revised Code, that the commission issue and enforce orders effecting the implementation of this chapter.

Last updated July 7, 2023 at 8:21 AM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 4935.03
Amplifies: 4935.03
Five Year Review Date: 6/26/2028
Prior Effective Dates: 2/27/2010

Rule 4901:5-21-04 | Actions taken upon declaration of an energy emergency.

• Effective: July 7, 2023
• Promulgated Under: 111.15

(A) Each coal supplier is expected to:

(1) Reduce, on an equitable basis, the provision of coal to its consumers for nonpriority use.

(2) Assure, to the extent reasonably possible, that all of its consumers practice conservation and restrict their nonessential or inefficient use of coal.

(B) Each coal supplier that has a surplus supply of coal for its consumers' priority use requirements for the foreseeable future is expected to assure, to the extent reasonably possible, provision of coal to its normal consumers for their priority use requirements for the subsequent thirty-day period, provided:

(1) Fair compensation is proffered by any new priority use consumers.

(2) Any new priority use consumers can substantiate their priority use requirements.

(3) No threat to the life, property, health, or safety of the coal supplier's existing consumers would result.

(C) Each coal supplier that has an inadequate supply of coal for its consumers' priority use requirements for the subsequent thirty-day period is expected to notify the commission of the number, names, and coal type and tonnage required for priority use consumers beyond the capability of the supplier.

(D) The commission may provide assistance in locating a supply for consumers with inadequate coal for priority use. The commission may accept requests for such assistance for relief of verifiable consumer hardship and emergency conditions. Such requests may be accepted by the commission from either the affected consumer or the coal supplier that would supply the affected consumer.

(E) The commission may establish a toll-free telephone number for consumers in this state to request state assistance for relief from verifiable emergency or hardship conditions.

(F) The commission may designate, as priority use, the volume of coal necessary to relieve emergency or hardship conditions found to be extant and may request the consumer's supplier to deliver such product volume to the consumer, provided the consumer offers fair compensation.

(G) If the commission finds that a supplier has insufficient supply of coal to provide for all consumers' priority use requirements in the current month and/or is unable to provide product for consumers who, facing emergency or hardship conditions, have had priority use designation by the commission, the commission may request another supplier to provide product.

(H) Each supplier shall encourage all of its consumers to practice coal conservation and to restrict their nonessential or inefficient use of coal.

Last updated July 7, 2023 at 8:21 AM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 4935.03
Amplifies: 4935.03
Five Year Review Date: 6/26/2028
Prior Effective Dates: 6/24/1978