Ohio AEP customers to see rate increase next month

OHIO — AEP Ohio customers who don’t purchase electricity from a competitive supplier or participate in a governmental aggregation program will soon see their monthly bills rise by about $27 in June, the utility announced in April.

The increase, set to affect customers using an average of 1,000 kilowatt-hours per month, is driven largely by supply and demand factors in power generation.

The change follows a recent electricity auction held by PJM, a 13-state power grid that includes Ohio, which saw a notable spike in electricity generation capacity prices.

The rate hike comes shortly after a decrease in another portion of customer bills.

As of April 1, AEP Ohio lowered its transmission service charge by about $9 per month for the average customer.

That charge helps fund maintenance and upgrades to the high-voltage infrastructure that delivers electricity over long distances.

Overall, many customers may now see a net increase of roughly $18 per month.