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Public Invited To Hearings On Proposed DP&L Rate Hikes

PUCO recently heard public testimony in Columbus on a proposed AEP Ohio rate-change proposal.
PUCO Instagram page
PUCO recently heard public testimony in Columbus on a proposed AEP Ohio rate-change proposal.
PUCO recently heard public testimony in Columbus on a proposed AEP Ohio rate-change proposal.
Credit PUCO Instagram page
PUCO recently heard public testimony in Columbus on a proposed AEP Ohio rate-change proposal.

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio is hosting public hearings this week on Dayton Power & Light’s application to boost electricity rates. The company applied to increase rates almost three years ago.

DP&L’s proposal would increase a mandatory fee on all customer electricity bills. 

PUCO staff estimate a residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours would see a monthly increase of $3.38. The company last requested an increase in 1991.

"Since that time, customers have enjoyed the fact that we still have low rates even though costs have risen risen, and we've maintained safe reliable service," says Mary Ann Kabel, DP&L director of corporate communications, who says the rate hike is needed to help cover expenses related to delivering electricity.

The rate-increase request is under review. It's unclear when PUCO would release its decision on whether to raise rates. 

Rachael Belz directs the nonprofit consumer advocacy group Ohio Citizen Action. She says the rate hikes would be imposed across the board, regardless of customers' home size.

“The way they’ve proposed these increases, it doesn’t actually matter how much energy you use because it would be an increase for everybody, so it makes it really, really difficult for the senior citizens on fixed incomes and those with the lowest incomes to have to pay the same as somebody who has a very large home, for no better services.”

DP&L's Kabel stresses monthly payment assistance or payment plans may be available for any customers who struggle to pay their electricity bills. 

"We understand that some customers who are on fixed incomes may have trouble paying their bills. We have options for them to exercise so they can better manage the costs," she says. 

Click here to learn more about DP&L's proposal. 

The utilities commission is collecting feedback on the proposal at two public hearings scheduled for Tuesday May 8 at 1 p.m., and Thursday May 10 at 6 p.m., at the Dayton Municipal Building.

Another evidentiary hearing on the DP&L proposal is scheduled for May 14, 2018 at 10 a.m. at the PUCO offices in Columbus. For more information, or to submit a comment online, visit www.PUCO.ohio.gov.

More about the public hearings:

Tuesday, May 8, 2018 at 1:00 p.m.

Dayton Municipal Building Council Chambers

101 W. Third St. Dayton, OH 45402

Thursday, May 10, 2018 at 6:00 p.m.

Dayton Municipal Building Council Chambers

101 W. Third St. Dayton, OH 45402

Copyright 2018 WYSO

Jess Mador comes to WYSO from Knoxville NPR-station WUOT, where she created an interactive multimedia health storytelling project called TruckBeat, one of 15 projects around the country participating in AIR's Localore: #Finding Americainitiative. Before TruckBeat, Jess was an independent public radio journalist based in Minneapolis. She’s also worked as a staff reporter and producer at Minnesota Public Radio in the Twin Cities, and produced audio, video and web stories for a variety of other news outlets, including NPR News, APM, and PBS television stations. She has a Master's degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York. She loves making documentaries and telling stories at the intersection of journalism, digital and social media.