Over the past week, Ewan Oglethorpe, Kristen Arnold, and Andrew Riedy from The Ohio State University have braved the cold weather and the corporate suits to testify on American Electric Powerrsquo;s proposed new electric rate plan.

AEP wants to raise rates 15% a year each of the next 3 years, for a total increase of over 52%! They want to do some good stuff, including investing $178 million in energy efficiency, but overall the plan is lacking. Students testified to demand:

• Third party administration of the new programs


• Spending across the service territory and customer classes so big business doesnrsquo;t get all the cuts, and


• Rate increases across customer classes so homeowners donrsquo;t get stuck with all the burden.

To get it straight, we oppose AEPrsquo;s plan. After recording record profits of over $1 billion last year and paying their CEO Michael Morris $19.7 million a year, they have no business asking for more. Theyrsquo;re also the worldrsquo;s seventh largest greenhouse gas polluter, with plans to move on up.

IF their plan gets approved by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, it damn well better at least charge everyone, benefit everyone, and be administered by a transparent third party like they do in other states. Go Ewan, Kristen, and Andrew!

Posted in Dirty Energy, Efficiency, Government, Political Participationnbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;