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Columbus City Council has passed a resolution urging the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) to reject American Electric Power's (AEP) proposed rate changes, which advocates claim will raise bills by approximately $30 per month. AEP argues that the proposal will save consumers money, citing increased power demand from data centers as a contributing factor to rising costs.

The proposal includes an initial decrease of $1.22 in the distribution portion of bills, followed by a subsequent increase of 68 cents. AEP emphasizes that generation costs, which they do not control, have risen 112% since 2020.

The council's resolution seeks to delay any rate changes and assess the impact of infrastructure upgrades, particularly on residential customers. PUCO is expected to make a decision by early spring.