Ohio families urge regulators to reject AES hike, saying power costs are already crushing them

A crowd of Ohio residents packed a public hearing in Dayton this week, telling state regulators that another AES Ohio power bill increase would further strain families and nonprofits already near their financial limit.

For some attendees, the figures read aloud at the hearing were enough to turn frustration into outrage.

What's happening?

AES Ohio is asking to collect about $143 million more over three years, and residents used Thursday's Public Utilities Commission of Ohio hearing to urge regulators to reject that request, according to News Center 7.

Under the proposal, a typical residential customer's monthly bill would go up by around $6.50 next year, then about $5 more the following year, and roughly another $2 in 2029.

AES Ohio said the additional money is needed for infrastructure improvements.

Residents told regulators that many households are already being forced into difficult trade-offs.

To illustrate the strain, Dayton resident Margaret Kruckmeyer said her nonprofit's bill has surged: "Our non-profit was paying $28.92. And as of January this year, that's now $269.92. And 2026 to 2027, that is going to be now $329.17."

Others raised concerns about corporate decision-making surrounding essential services.

Kevin Ballou, with the Punchup Dayton Chapter, told the commission, "Furthermore, this is the biggest potential acquisition of a public utility. Thirty-three billion dollars BlackRock wants to spend to purchase AES."

Why does it matter?

Speakers at the hearing said any rate increase should come with clear improvements to infrastructure and reliability.

Some said regulators should put the public interest first, not just the company's bottom line.

At the same time, not everyone opposed the proposal. Some speakers argued that affordability and reliability must be weighed together, particularly for organizations that depend on consistent power to serve the public.

What can I do?

Before regulators make a decision, Ohio customers still have ways to weigh in. The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio plans to hold one more public hearing in early August, and customers can also submit comments online.

"I sometimes set the thermostat to 63 degrees in winter and 83 degrees in summer, attempting to save money," said Karl Biermann, a Centerville resident.

Still, some urged approval, including Cindy Garner, executive director at Clothes That Work: "Affordability matters deeply to the people we serve, and reliability matters to the non-profit and business partners supporting them."

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