Public Utilities Commission of Ohio

Address

180 East Broad Street, Columbus, OH 43215-3793

Phone

(614) 466-3016Fax (614) 466-7366

Website

puco.ohio.gov ↗

• Updated Jan 1, 2026

  24-0468-EL-AIR · Electric · Active

  FirstEnergy Distribution Rate Case

  FirstEnergy sought a $190 million electric distribution rate increase; PUCO approved a customer-protection settlement in January 2026. Updated delivery rates take effect March 1, 2026.

• Updated Jan 1, 2025

  25-0392-EL-AIR · Electric · Active

  AEP Ohio Electric Distribution Rate Case

  AEP Ohio filed a base rate case in 2025 seeking recovery of distribution system investments. Evidentiary hearings and settlement negotiations are ongoing.

Utility landscape

• American Electric Power Ohio (Ohio Power Co. / Columbus Southern Power) IOU

  Large portions of central, southern, and eastern Ohio including Columbus metro and Appalachian Ohio

  AEP Ohio has pursued aggressive grid modernization riders and distribution investment recovery mechanisms under PUCO oversight. The company has faced scrutiny over ESP (Electric Security Plan) filings and competitive bidding for generation supply following Ohio's restructured market framework.

• FirstEnergy Ohio (Ohio Edison, Cleveland Electric Illuminating, Toledo Edison) IOU

  Northern Ohio including Cleveland, Akron, Toledo, and Youngstown corridors

  FirstEnergy remains under heightened regulatory scrutiny following the HB 6 bribery scandal; PUCO has imposed enhanced compliance and reporting obligations. The company continues to pursue distribution modernization investment riders while facing ongoing oversight of its corporate governance and affiliate transaction practices.

• Duke Energy Ohio IOU

  Southwestern Ohio including Cincinnati metro and surrounding counties; also provides natural gas service

  Duke Energy Ohio filed a combined electric and gas rate case in 2024 seeking significant revenue increases tied to infrastructure investment; PUCO proceedings on cost allocation and return on equity remain active. The company is advancing a grid modernization plan with AMI deployment and feeder automation investments.

• Dayton Power and Light (AES Ohio) IOU

  West-central Ohio centered on Dayton and Montgomery County

  AES Ohio completed its Smart Grid Business Plan Phase 2 rollout and continues to seek recovery through a Distribution Modernization Rider. The utility has been engaged in ongoing PUCO proceedings regarding rate design and the treatment of its Smart Grid investment costs.

• Ohio Gas Association member utilities (Dominion Energy Ohio / Columbia Gas of Ohio) IOU

  Columbia Gas of Ohio serves statewide natural gas customers across most of Ohio's 88 counties; Dominion serves Northeast Ohio

  Columbia Gas of Ohio (now NiSource subsidiary) continues infrastructure replacement recovery under PUCO-approved capital expenditure programs following the 2018 Merrimack Valley incident consent orders. Dominion Energy Ohio has been active in seeking infrastructure tracker adjustments for aging main replacement.

• Buckeye Rural Electric Cooperative coop

  North-central Ohio rural territories across multiple counties

  As a G&T cooperative wholesale customer of AEP, Buckeye is affected by PUCO proceedings on AEP transmission and distribution cost allocation. Rural broadband expansion under USDA ReConnect and Ohio broadband grant programs is an active operational priority alongside grid hardening.

Key issues

• HB 6 remediation and ongoing PUCO oversight of FirstEnergy: PUCO continues to monitor FirstEnergy's compliance with conditions stemming from the $1.3 billion bribery scandal, including affiliate transaction audits, enhanced reporting requirements, and proceedings examining whether ratepayers were improperly charged for lobbying or political expenditure costs
• Electric Security Plan (ESP) and competitive procurement reform: PUCO is reviewing the structure of ESP filings for Ohio's large IOUs, particularly whether competitive auction mechanisms for default service adequately protect consumers and whether riders layered onto base rates have eroded rate transparency and bill predictability
• Grid modernization cost recovery and rider proliferation: Multiple IOUs are simultaneously pursuing distribution modernization riders (DMRs), smart grid riders, and vegetation management trackers; PUCO faces pressure from the Ohio Consumers' Counsel and industrial customers to consolidate or cap rider mechanisms that now constitute a substantial share of customer bills
• Renewable energy integration and data center load growth: Hyperscale data center development in central and central-western Ohio (driven by Intel fab construction and cloud providers) is creating unprecedented load interconnection requests, forcing AEP Ohio and PUCO to address accelerated transmission planning, cost allocation for new large load, and grid reliability impacts
• Natural gas infrastructure replacement and decarbonization tension: Columbia Gas of Ohio and Dominion Energy Ohio are seeking continued tracker-based recovery for pipe replacement programs, while environmental intervenors and PUCO staff are examining whether long-lived gas infrastructure investments are prudent given state and federal clean energy policy trajectories and potential stranded asset risk

Upcoming

• 2026-09-15

  Estimated deadline for PUCO Staff Report and intervenor testimony in AES Ohio (Dayton Power and Light) pending distribution rate adjustment proceeding; evidentiary hearings anticipated to follow in Q4 2026

• 2026-10-07

  Estimated PUCO commissioners' agenda hearing on AEP Ohio ESP renewal or competitive bidding process order; AEP Ohio's current ESP term milestones and any supplemental rider adjustments are expected to be addressed at this quarterly agenda session

• 2026-11-18

  Estimated evidentiary hearing date in FirstEnergy Ohio affiliate transaction and compliance audit docket; PUCO-ordered independent audit findings are anticipated to be entered into the record with Staff and OCC cross-examination of audit consultants

• 2027-01-30

  Estimated PUCO final order deadline in Columbia Gas of Ohio infrastructure replacement tracker (IRP) annual adjustment case filed in mid-2026; order will set allowable capital spend recovery levels and address prudency challenges raised by the Ohio Consumers' Counsel regarding long-lived gas asset investments