Consumers

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The has filed for a stay on the detaiol in a rate increase PUCO approved this montnhfor Columbus-based American Electric Power (NYSE:AEP). Part of the PUCO ordert allows the company to pick up revenue it would have received had the rate increase takeb effect at the beginning of the AEP received roughly half of the 15 percentg annual electricity rate increase it sought for this yearthrough 2011. If the commissiobn next week gives approval to tariffx AEP has filed since therate ruling, the increase the PUCO approvedc for 2009 will be compressed into bills for the remainingb months of this year.
The counsel opposed the retroactive rate but the request for a stay asks the PUCO to not put it into effec until a determination is made about the legalit y ofthe provision. Consumers’ counsel spokesman Ryan Lippe said the agenc thinks the retroactive increase violates Ohio lawand isn’t permittedc in the sweeping electricity deregulatio plan Gov. Ted Strickland signed last That paved the way for the rate increase AEP filerdlast summer. The joined the Ohio Consumers’ Counse l in requesting the stay.
Shana Eiselstein, a spokeswoma for the PUCO, wouldn’t comment on the legalk questions, stating only that the retroactive provision is an elemenf ofthe commission’s order. “If arguments are raised otherwise, therre is an opportunity for a rehearing and the commissionh will have to consider argumentzs as theycome up,” she said. An AEP spokeswomam couldn’t be reached for Lippe said the consumers’ counsel intende to seek a rehearing on therate