COLUMBUS, Ohio — This summer, AEP customers will be charged about 30% more a month on their utility bills. To give you an idea, if your bill is traditionally around $155, now it will be closer to $198.
On top of that, AEP wants to hike up prices again come next summer for customers on their standard offer rate.
The company says doing this will help improve equipment and replace more than 5,000 miles of power lines. But, representatives from the Ohio Consumers Council said customers cannot afford another price increase.
“With inflation and everything else going on, another rate increase just compounds to the household budget,” said Andrew Tinkham with the Ohio Consumers Council.
This week, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio is hosting two public hearings where customers who are concerned about these proposed changes can have their voices heard. Representatives with the Ohio Consumers Council say it could make a difference.
“The more consumers that speak out against the rate increase, that's where the public utilities commission who actually makes the ruling will look at these comments. And I think it can impact the way they make a ruling in a case,” said Tinkham.
Consumers can make their voices heard in Columbus during two public hearings:
- Monday, May 22 at 12:30 p.m. — PUCO Offices, 180 East Broad St., Hearing Room 11-B,
- Tuesday, May 23 at 5 p.m. — Ohio History Connection, 800 East 17th Ave., Cardinal Classroom.
If residents cannot be there in person, they can make public comment online as well: Click on “File a Public Comment” at https://bit.ly/aep-esp-2023.