Dozens of Ohioans voiced opposition about a proposed American Electric Power electric rate hike at a Public Utilities Commission of Ohio public hearing in Columbus Thursday evening.
AEP wants to increase rates by an average of $4 a month for customers, but needs the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio to approve the price hike. This would come from a 2% increase in distribution base rates and would generate more than $400 million in new revenue for Ohio's largest electric provider.
Some of the central Ohio residents who spoke at the Columbus Metropolitan Library accused AEP of being greedy after the company reported record profits earlier this year.
Many others, like Reynoldsburg resident Lynda Clark say the cost of living is increasing too much to justify more expensive electric rates. Clark said she wants to retire soon and this increase will weigh on people on a fixed income.
"I can say from the increase this past summer, when I opened up my bill from one month to the next, it was a shocker," Clark said. "It did not impact me because I am able to pay, but we have vulnerable citizens in our community."
Many customers like Clark say they are feeling the strain on their wallets as utility costs skyrocket.
The hearing was the second in a series of events meant to solicit feedback on the proposal from the public. More are planned ahead of a PUCO vote in 2026.
Galloway resident Kia House said many families like hers will struggle to pay the extra bill as costs for other goods and services, like plumbing work, continue to rise for homeowners and families. She spoke about how her son flushed plastic down the toilet, requiring some emergency plumbing work.
As House and the others spoke, attorneys with AEP, the Ohio Consumers Counsel and PUCO Chair Jenifer French listened. The speakers were sworn in by a judge overseeing the hearings.
House has a family of four and cares for her elderly mother.
"I'm considered you know middle of the pack as far as you know society, but I'm only a bill away from being in poverty," House said.
Many of the residents turned out after an awareness campaign organized by the grassroots progressive group Columbus Stand Up. The group is opposing the increase and is circulating a petition and social media content to organize against the rate hike.
A lot of the speakers cited the record earnings report and the growth of data centers in their frustrations. Central Ohio is seeing a boom in the structures.
Data centers put a big strain on water and electricity grids. PJM, the grid operator for Ohio, told WOSU earlier this year that data centers are creating a major supply and demand problem for electricity.
Shyreni Es, a Columbus resident and Ohio State University student, said she is a member of Columbus Stand Up and was inspired to speak by the group. She said she works two to three jobs and struggles to keep up with her bills.
"Everything is really expensive, everything is getting more expensive, so why should I worry about my electricity bill also going up?" Es asked. "The issue with the increased, hiked prices is also going to affect low-income families first, as those are the ones who struggle the most with keeping up with bills."
Arena District resident Jim Villars, who was also with Columbus Stand Up, said the word "affordability" is becoming a political buzzword, but it is one that he thinks the PUCO should start prioritizing. He criticized the PUCO for approving so many rate increases for AEP and other utilities as costs continue to rise.
"Costs are increasing, food costs, rents, property taxes, health care, child care, too many utility increases. Not just electric, but water increases," Villars said. "Way too many electric increases have been approved by this board for AEP."
Villars said PUCO should hold AEP accountable and start prioritizing affordability.
AEP Ohio said in a statement to WOSU on Friday that Ohioans are seeing increased energy costs for two primary reasons: generation costs and transmission costs. But this increase focuses on the third part of customers' bills: distribution costs.
"Simply put, there is not enough electricity being generated in Ohio to meet our state’s electricity needs, creating an imbalance in the supply of energy and the demand for it," the statement said.
The statement said the new rates will cover the costs of equipment like power poles, lines and transformers, and pay the salaries of the line workers who restore power after storms and other outages and of those people who manage the electric grid to keep the lights on.
"AEP Ohio shares our customers’ concerns about the imbalance between the supply of energy and demand for it, and we are frustrated, too," the statement said.
The company said it offers relief by letting customers spread out costs across multiple months. The company also connects people to programs that can help pay bills. Multiple speakers criticized AEP Ohio for no longer providing such programs themselves.
There are several more opportunities for people to voice their opinions on the rate increases. Three more public hearings are scheduled this month including:
- Friday, Dec. 5 at 6 p.m. at Washington State College in the Arts and Sciences Building Room 227. The address is 710 Colegate Drive, Marietta, OH 45750.
- Monday, Dec. 8 at 6 p.m. at Owens Community College in the Community Education and Wellness Center, Room CH 100. The address is 3200 Bright Road, Findlay, OH, 45840.
- Tuesday, Dec. 9 at 11 a.m. at 180 E. Broad Street in Columbus on the 11th floor in hearing room B.
After the hearings conclude, PUCO will hear evidentiary hearings on Jan. 21, 2026. AEP and other interested parties can provide expert testimony in support or opposition to the application.
While AEP is proposing their own rate hike, PUCO staff disagreed and proposed a smaller increase of approximately $280 million to $296 million. This combined with other changes proposed by PUCO staff would mean an average customer's bill would be lowered by $1.47 despite the revenue increase for AEP.
The matter will eventually be voted on by PUCO.
