The US Supreme Court has delivered a major win for Ohio ratepayers—by doing nothing. (Columbus Dispatch)
Justices declined to hear an appeal from utilities including AEP Ohio and Duke Energy, leaving intact a lower court ruling that struck down an “RTO adder” fee.
The Ohio Consumers’ Counsel argued the fee—originally meant to incentivize utilities to join regional grid operators—was redundant, since Ohio law already requires that participation.
The decision locks in ~$400M in customer savings through 2031, ending what regulators called “profit padding” at a time when AEP has faced backlash for record earnings and rising ratepayer bills.