AEP Rate Hike Adds Retroactive Increase To Bills
If you’re an American Electric Power customer, you’ll get a shock when you open your next electric bill.
COLUMBUS, Ohio—If you’re an American Electric Power customer, you’ll get a shock when you open your next electric bill.
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio approved a three-year rate increase which will be passed onto customers, but it’s how far back the company wants to hit you in the pocket that’s at the center of a legal fight, NBC 4‘s Tacoma Newsome reported.
AEP is charging the increase retroactively from Jan. 1.
“In their bills moving forward starting in April, (customers) are going to see a slightly larger increase,“ said Terri Flora, of AEP.
That’s the problem, according to the Ohio Consumer’s Council.
Officials with OCC said the retroactive rate hike is unfair and unlawful.
“We believe the decision to collect retroactive rates violates Ohio case law and a newer electric policy enacted last summer,“ said Ryan Lippe, of OCC. “Customers should really only be paying increases going forward.“
The OCC is fighting the decision, but AEP said it’s important to get the money to recover fuel costs.
AEP officials said that even with the increase, Columbus’ rates are the lowest in the region.
In the meantime, the OCC is considering other legal options, including petitioning to have PUCO reconsider both the retroactive portion of the rate hike and the increase itself.
For additional information, stay with nbc4i.com and NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com—Where Accuracy Matters.
To submit a story idea or news tip, e-mail us at
.
NBC 4 POLITICS: Headlines, Interactives & Video
MORE: NBC 4 Local News | Local Crime News
NBC 4 SPORTS: Sports News, Video
Advertisement
Reader Reactions
It’s not just AEP that is gouging us but also the city of Columbus. I just received my water/sewer bill that is $55 higher than last quarter and higher than my bill last summer. How does one use more water in the winter than in the summer? I think something is amiss.
Thats just Great I get RAPED by COLUMBIA GAS in the winter. RAPED by AEP in the summer now in the spring to ?plus I want to know who pays for all the trash trucks that empty the TRASH BINS in my area three days in a row before FOOTBALL GAMES because mom & dad did not teach there Babies not to play with fire .we should give up and go to JAIL FREE FOOD,WATER ,HEAT ,LIGHT I’m tierd of trying to have my own home and be a productive person .
Why stop there ? Why not make it retroactive to say—-1960 ? I mean its not like we really have a choice is it ? Do you want electric ? Seems there is only one horse in town. This sort of thing use to be a monopoly but of course this isnt one of those cases ... because we all know that would be against the law. And the law is for the good of the people. No this must be something else…I would have to check with a lawyer to find the correct definition. We use to have phones that worked and then some brilliant judge decided AT&T was a monopoly , now we have tons of junk that may work and may not. Great ...of course after 25 yrs AT&T seems to be reassembling itself but that cant be, can it ? Yes i think retroactive to about 1960 should about pay the country club dues for all the big boys this year. Anything else we can do for you people just let us know. How about tips….think we should start throwing in a little extra each month along with the payment ya know ...for a tip ...say if the clouds didnt knock out the juice for a few hours that month….
Just lovely! As if we weren’t already struggling to pay our electricity and they pull this stunt. It’s just another excuse for them to disconnect and charge even more fees for people to reconnect services. Um i thought the PUCC was supposed to be looking out for us?!
A rate hike, let alone retroactive, is criminal on the part of this company. AEP incurs high costs and lengthy power outages due to their lack of preventative maintenance and service to their customers. The PUCO is negligent in allowing this rate increase to go through. Customers should revolt.
Advertisement