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Palmco Energy OH, LLC applied for an Ohio competitive retail natural gas supplier (CRNGS) and competitive retail electric supplier (CRES) licenses to serve large commercial and industrial customers in the electric and gas utility service areas.

The application reveals numerous PUC violations including in Ohio.  See: Exhibit B-3 Disclosure of liabilities and investigations.  Of note, the application indicates that Palmco OH”) have been formally settled as per the adoption of two Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (“PUCO”) Orders, with no admission of any wrongdoing in either settlement. As part of the settlement, however, the applicant’s principals were restricted from entering the OH market for five years from the joint stipulation dated July 31, 2019, after which Palmco OH can reapply to serve commercial and industrial customers. {Emphasis added.}

The application indicates that Robert Palmese is the President/CEO, Ayo Ekisola is Regulatory Affairs Manager, and Ivette Arce as Compliance Manager.

Other key personnel include Michelle Hofstetter, CPA, CGMA – Chief Financial Officer and VP of Human Resources Jeff Rodgers – Chief Marketing Officer Jeremy Reed – General Counsel Chris Smith – Vice President, Commercial Sales Sariah Pena – Vice President Gas Supply, Pricing and Operations Jed Counihan – Vice President of Power Supply.

From the Application:

Exhibit B-1 Jurisdiction of operations – Palmco Energy OH, LLC d/b/a Indra Energy will only operate in the state of Ohio. The individual owners of this entity also own, in whole or in part, entities in other jurisdictions that are engaged in the retail sale of electricity and natural gas. 

The individual principal owners of Palmco Energy OH LLC d/b/a Indra Energy also own, in whole or in part, entities in other jurisdictions that are licensed as brokers of electricity and/or natural gas in the following states: DC, DE, IL, MA, ME, NH, NJ, OH, PA, and TX

In Exhibit B-2 Experience and plans – Palmco Energy OH LLC d/b/a Indra Energy (“Indra”) will contact Large Commercial and Industrial customers who are interested in energy supply. Indra’s management team has over 50 years of combined experience in deregulated energy markets. We plan on billing our customers via consolidated/LDC billing in which our charges appear on the Utility’s bill. We have contracted with Energy Services Group (ESG) who will be handling our EDI and billing of customers’ accounts. Indra has customer service center and our customer service representatives are knowledgeable in the deregulated markets and have satisfied customers in other states.

Exhibit B-3 Disclosure of liabilities and investigations 

For the applicant, affiliate, predecessor of the applicant, or any principal officer of the applicant, describe all existing, pending or past rulings, judgments, findings, contingent liabilities, revocation of authority, regulatory investigations, judicial actions, or other formal or informal notices of violations, or any other matter related to competitive services in Ohio or equivalent services in another jurisdiction indicates the following:

➤ Public Utility Commission of Ohio. Investigations of two of the Applicant’s affiliates, Palmco Energy OH, LLC d/b/a Indra Energy, and Palmco Power OH, LLC d/b/a Indra Energy (each, individually or jointly referred to as, “Palmco OH”) have been formally settled as per the adoption of two Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (“PUCO”) Orders, with no admission of any wrongdoing in either settlement. As part of the settlement, however, the applicant’s principals were restricted from entering the OH market for five years from the joint stipulation dated July 31, 2019, after which Palmco OH can reapply to serve commercial and industrial customers. 

➤ New York Attorney General’s Office*. In January 2021, Applicant’s affiliates, Columbia Utilities LLC (“Columbia Utilities”) and Columbia Utilities Power, LLC (together, with Columbia Utilities, “Columbia”) received a notice of non-compliance from the New York Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Frauds and Protection (“NY AG”) halting all door-to-door sales and alleging violations by Columbia of an Assurance of Discontinuance agreement entered into by Columbia Utilities and the NY AG in 2011, as amended in 2014. Columbia and the NY AG subsequently entered into a Consent Order and Judgement (“COJ”), with an effective date of March 14, 2022, to settle the 2021 matter with no admission of wrongdoing. 

➤ Illinois Attorney General’s Office*. On December 2, 2024, PALMco Energy IL, LLC (“Palmco Energy”) reached a settlement with the Illinois Attorney General’s Office to ensure compliance with the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act and Illinois Commerce Commission rules and regulations. 

*In consideration of the definition of an “affiliate” as provided in OАС 4901:1-37-01, please see page 15 of the Combined Financial Report under Note 11. For clarity and avoidance of doubt, the applicant further states that the circumstances and entities referenced in Combined Financial Report as described neither involve applicant, either directly or indirectly, nor is applicant a subsidiary or corporate parent of such referenced entities.

The application also indicates in Exhibit C-8 – Corporate Structure that “Palmco Energy OH, LLC d/b/a Indra Energy is a stand-alone entity with no affiliate or subsidiary companies.”

Under Exhibit D-1 – Operations, the application indicates that “Palmco Energy OH, LLC d/b/a Indra Energy (“Indra”) was formed to be a retail natural gas supplier within the OH deregulated market. Indra will purchase natural gas and supply the natural gas to commercial and industrial customers. Indra will not schedule gas for transmission and delivery for other firms or provide any other type of service.”

Application  (12/19/2025)
10-0138-GA-CRS
(Competitive Retail Natural Gas Service (CRNGS) Application – Palmco Energy OH, LLC)
See also:  10-0139
(Competitive Retail Electric Service (CRES) Application – Palmco Energy OH, LLC)