DAYTON — AES Ohio is willing to settle for a lower rate increase.
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The customers’ new rate will be a 1 percent increase for the next three years.
Community members told News Center 7 that their power bills are already high enough.
AES Ohio said this increase will maintain and upgrade their infrastructure.
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“Anytime there’s an increase put in there, then yeah, it’s going to be higher. I think a lot of people are already struggling and kind of just barely getting by, and here we go with another hike,” Taylor Fleming, of Dayton, said.
Fleming wasn’t thrilled to hear that her AES Ohio bill would increase by $2 per 1,000 kilowatt-hours used over the next three years.
It’s the agreement settlement AES Ohio and 16 other parties submitted to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO).
“It’s significantly less than inflation. And that’s gonna be over the next three years. That was part of the settlement since this is a three-year rate plan. And the other things that are important to note as well are the protections for our customers, that transparency, knowing what your bill is gonna be like,” Mary Ann Kabel, with AES Ohio, said.
The increase could go into effect on Jan. 1, 2027, but it must be reviewed and approved by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio.
They want to hear from the public on August 4 before making an order.
“Subsequently, the PUCO will take into consideration everything they heard at the hearing, and customers had other ways to share their concerns,” Kabel said.
People like Fleming can voice how this increase will impact their budgets.
“You got people who are working, who are not making any more money. They’re not getting these raises and stuff. So, they’re still trying to manage and function on what they’ve been getting and everything,” Fleming said.
She has her own settlement proposal she wants PUCO to consider
“Just make a decrease for like a three-year plan. I think we should do that. We should just, you know, say every couple of years, let’s do an increase, and you know kind of go from there because they just keep increasing,” she said.
The settlement includes customer protection that ensures data centers will pay for their own costs.
News Center 7 will continue to follow this story.
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