Ohio Customers Seek Stay of POLR Charges at AEP Ohio

Several load interests, including the Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel and the Ohio Energy Group, have petitioned the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio to stay the collection of POLR charges and carrying charges on past environmental investment at the AEP Ohio companies, or otherwise provide similar relief, given the remand of these issues to PUCO by the Supreme Court of Ohio.

As previously reported, the Court found that collection of such charges was unlawful based on PUCO's electric security plan order, but remanded the issues to PUCO (see 4/20).

OCC and parties requested that PUCO either (1) exercise its emergency powers to alter or amend existing rates, taking out the unlawful elements, under R.C. 4900.16; (2) issue an order to stay collection of rates pertaining to the unlawful charges; or (3) order that the rates collected, including the unlawful elements, be subject to refund, pending outcome of the remand.

OCC said that without the requested relief, customers will be paying almost $22 million a month to the AEP companies for charges that the Court ruled were unlawful.