Overview
- City Law Director Lori Shells Simmons pressed the PUCO and SOBE’s court-appointed receiver to use their authority to resume operations at the downtown steam plant.
- YSU’s effort to backfeed steam into SOBE’s distribution failed when decade-idled lines sprang major leaks during pressurization, according to YSU’s John Hyden.
- Wabash Power Equipment repossessed its mobile boiler after a court order tied to nonpayment, removing the primary steam source for roughly 27 buildings.
- PUCO said it has no update yet and remains in discussions with the receiver and city officials on short- and long-term solutions to restore safe, reliable service.
- Some buildings now lack hot water and face growing heating concerns as temperatures drop, while YSU emphasizes its assistance is emergency-only and not a utility takeover.