Reported by: Jenell Walton
Photographed by: 9News
Web produced by: Neil Relyea
Bad timing. That's what customers are saying about Duke Energy's proposal to raise electric rates during this economic crisis.
Duke Energy says the initial cost would be an additional $5 a month per household.
There are what's called "riders" attached to the proposed electric increase.
That means Duke Energy rates will eventually cost more than that five dollars a month to cover things like rising fuel costs.
This is a time where both young and old appear to agree on one thing. They want the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) to reject Duke Energy's proposal to increase electric rates in January 2009.
Danika Henson, of Mt. Airy, came to the PUCO hearing on her lunch break to ask for a break.
"Last year they increased our bills. That was a strain enough. I'm a single person in my first home and it's a struggle anyway. But for them to go up again, I just can't afford it," Henson explained.
William Wallace, of Blue Ash, says this increase is making the cost of homeownership unbearable.
He also attended the PUCO hearing at the Cincinnati State and Technical and Community College on Tuesday.
"With everything that's going on in the economy, with the higher fuel prices and with food prices going up, that the utility companies seem to be gouging the consumers," Wallace said.
A new Ohio law requires electric utility companies to implement market-based pricing, so customers rates won't jump at random.
Duke Energy has submitted its Electric Security Plan to the State of Ohio.
It includes a 4.3% increase that will cover costs to generate and purchase electricity and pay for carbon taxes.
However, some complained about the unknown cost of riders.
"All I know is that I look at my bill and I use $14 worth and I'm paying $44 or whatever. It's always double almost of what I use. So what's the use of trying to cutback?," asked Frances Gruesser, of Liberty Township.
Duke Energy spokesperson Steve Brash says the riders are unknown because of the fluctuating rates of fuel.
"The fuel rider changes on a quarterly basis," Brash explained. "So, we won't know the rider that will take effect in January until later this year."
The chairman of The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, Alan Schriber, says the public hearings can make a difference in utility rates.
"We also take very seriously the comments of the public. It becomes a part of the record and when come to the point where we decide a case, we look at all those things that are on the record," explained Schriber.
If you want to voice your opinion, there will be another public hearing at 6:30 p.m. tonight at the Union Township Civic Center at 4350 Aicholtz Road in Clermont County.
In the meantime, the state says the proposed rate increase is not connected to the wind storm power outage.
The rate increase application had been submitted before the storm occurred last month.
