The Ohio Supreme Court has ruled that Nationwide Energy Partners (NEP) is subject to regulation by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. Submetering, a practice where a third party buys electric and gas from a public utility and resells it to consumers, is often criticized for making utility bills more expensive. The court's unanimous decision was praised by Rep. Sean Patrick Brennan (D-Parma), who sponsored bipartisan legislation to regulate submetering. The case arose after NEP entered contracts with landlords to supply electricity to five apartment complexes, which the tenants had previously purchased electricity through AEP Ohio. The Supreme Court's decision reverses AEP's decision to change the meters at these complexes to allow NEP to supply the electricity.