From the Plain Dealer:

Duke Energy Ohio Inc., the utility serving Greater Cincinnati, has challenged the state’s new energy and utility law.

Duke has filed a request with the Federal Energy Regulation Commission to move ownership of its power plants to unregulated companies owned by North Carolina-based Duke Energy Corp.

Duke made the FERC filing as the Ohio Senate approved Gov. Ted Strickland’s energy bill on Wednesday.

The new law specifically prohibits such transfers of ownership unless the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio agrees, an unlikely consent any time soon.

The Strickland administration was not happy about the development.

“Obviously, the governor does not support this,” said spokesman Keith Dailey. “And judging by the timing of the FERC filing, it would appear they are trying to keep the recently enacted bill from applying to them.”

Another way the state can stop the move is to file objections with the federal agency.

And from The Enquirer:

Alan Schriber, the PUCO chairman, said Thursday he was aware of Duke’s plans and didn’t think it was an attempt to avoid the new law.

Someone didn’t get their story straight. Did Keith Dailey misspeak?

Meanwhile, the goofs at the Ohio GOP blog have a video of Jon Husted applauding the death of any hope of electricity competition in Ohio and the creation of alternative energy mandates. How embarrassing! As P.J. O’Rourke one said, Republicans are the party that says government doesn’t work and then they get elected to prove it.