PUCO approves AES Ohio to invest $249M into four years of capital projects

Published on June 18, 2021 by Chris Galford


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The initial step in AES Ohio’s digital transformation efforts was greenlit by the Public Utility Commission of Ohio (PUCO) this week, which approved a settlement involving plans to invest $249 million over the next four years into a variety of capital projects on the grid.

Phase one of the AES Ohio Smart Grid Plan will include installing smart meters in the region to enhance customer experience through increased reliability, performance, and real-time communication. The company will also begin installing technology to allow portions of the grid to isolate problems and automatically reroute power without causing service interruptions at large. Prioritization will also be given to the installation of new equipment within western and northwestern Dayton, Ohio — locations hit hard by tornadoes in 2019.

At the same time, a rebate program will be implemented for electric vehicle supply equipment and smart thermostats alike, promoting a greener transition.

“This is an important moment for our AES Ohio people and the customers we serve, as the order allows us to move forward in our digital transformation to bring all customers innovative grid technologies,” Kristina Lund, AES Ohio president and CEO, said. “We appreciated the opportunity to work with all interested parties to reach balanced and fair settlement agreement to continue our progress toward creating a smarter energy future for our customers.”

As part of the order, AES Ohio will have to file phase two of its plan within three years. The average residential customer can expect a monthly bill increase of approximately $0.94.

AES Ohio maintains the lowest residential rates of the investor-owned utilities in Ohio. The average residential customer in the AES Ohio service territory, using 1,000 kWh on AES Ohio’s Standard Service Offer, can expect a monthly bill increase of $0.94.