To help you stay informed, we’re sharing quick updates about things that may affect you.
Ohio Supreme Court’s Ruling on Submetering
First, what is submetering? Submetering is the practice of third-party companies or landlords purchasing electricity from a public utility, like AEP Ohio, and reselling it to tenants instead of the tenants being billed directly by the public utility. This practice is typically used at apartments and condos.
AEP Ohio has long advocated that the practice of submetering does not serve consumers and could even harm them through higher electric bills. Submetering companies do not provide important consumer protections, including the right to shop for a generation supplier, access to low-income assistance programs and regulations around disconnecting electricity.
The Supreme Court of Ohio ruled this month that a submetering company is a “public utility,” subject to regulation by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO). This ruling will protect Ohioans who live in submetered apartments and condos, and AEP Ohio applauds it. This ruling should help restore these important rights for tenants and will likely reduce electric bills for customers who live in submetered buildings. We look forward to the next steps with the PUCO.
For more on submetering, check out this article in The Columbus Dispatch.
Heads Up: Outage Alerts Coming in May
If the power goes out, staying informed is critical. That’s why AEP Ohio is enrolling all eligible customers in automatic outage text alerts beginning next month. AEP Ohio uses these alerts to provide faster updates when the lights go out. If you have a mobile phone number associated with your account, haven’t previously opted out of outage texts and are not on the “do not text” list, you’ll be auto-enrolled in service-related outage texts only. If you’re already enrolled, nothing will change for you.
Once you’re enrolled, if you experience a power outage, you’ll receive an alert from short code 23711. The first message will include opt-out instructions — you can opt out at any time by replying with the word STOP. You will not be enrolled in alerts for billing or other programs.
If you don’t want to wait, visit AEPOhio.com/Alerts to sign up today.
