Electric Prices Continue to Increase Even in Bad Economy

Many Americans and American businesses have been feeling the pinch of the recession and extended economic downturn. Every increase in prices from fueling up our cars to the cost of groceries is making it that much more painful. AEP residential and commercial customers in Ohio can add their electric bills to that list. From December 2011 to January 2012 residential rates of AEP's Columbus Southern Power customers rose 4 percent and AEP's Ohio Power customers by 5 percent. Worse yet, small business (commercial) customers are seeing even higher increases.

These increases are part of a negotiated settlement between AEP and the PUCO on AEP's most recent rate case. This won't be the last, nor the biggest of the increases, covered by the settlement which sets AEP's electric rates for Ohio customers between this year and 2016. In the coming weeks those of us here at the ESP blog will feature a series of articles breaking down the specifics of the rate case and what AEP Ohio customers can expect as a result.

Illinois Tells Utilitites to Prove Smart Grid Benefits or Pay

The Illinois state legislature recently passed a bill requiring utilities to prove they can deliver on the promises they made regarding Smart Grid projects in the state. It will still allow the utilities to add a $3 per month charge to consumers' bills, but if they fail to meet certain benchmarks in the areas of reduced outages, energy theft, and inactive meters, the state will assess them penalties. It also places requirements on utilities to reduce estimated billing by 90 percent, and bad debt and unpaid bills by $30 million. Failure to meet the goals established in the bill will result in financial penalties, including a portion of their profits. Illinois is the first state to tie financial penalties to Smart Grid projects and their smart meter systems. To read the full article, go to http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/illinois-to-smart-grid-prove-youre-worth-it-or-pay/