The Public Utilites Commission of Ohio said Friday that it will look into the impact that American Electric Power rate changes are having on 'General Service 2' customers which include small businesses, schools and local government.
The commission said it has heard from more than 200 customers that have complained about recent bills.
Under the new plan, AEP will separate its generation and distribution assets. AEP will provide electricity for customer through competitive auctions starting June 2012, according to a statement from PUCO.
The new plan included new charges meant to recover millions of dollars in deferred distribution and fuel costs and costs included in the transition to the market-based structure, the statement said.
The statement said that PUCO billed the rate impacts among customer classes based on figures and information provided by AEP.
Earlier this week, a small business owner in Highland County told ONN-TV how angry and frustrated he was about having to pay more for his small business.
Brent Huffman said he was shocked at the size of his last bill.
"It doesn't make any sense." Huffman said. "It went up 150 percent from $214 to about $500 more than what we pay for in rent."
The PUCO decision comes a day after Gov. John Kasich announced that he would call the head of the commission to ask if a solution to the rate increases could be found.
“My fellow commissioners and I are deeply troubled by what we have heard from business owners, elected officials, and the governor on this issue,” PUCO Chairman Todd A. Snitchler stated in a news release.
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