Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel

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Consumers' Counsel calls for full investigation with local public hearings on recent AEP power outages

Columbus, Ohio - January 12, 2005 - The Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel (OCC) is today asking the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) to conduct a full investigation of the recent American Electric Power (AEP) outages, including local public hearings so that consumers can participate and contribute to the process. The OCC called for the PUCO to consider holding public hearings in Chillicothe, Gahanna, Hillsboro, Lexington, Lima, Lockbourne, Mt. Vernon, Newark, Reynoldsburg, Worthington and Wooster.

"Customers, many of whom were left for over a week without electricity, should be part of a public process that looks into AEP's policies and practices for handling power outages," said Janine Migden-Ostrander, Consumers' Counsel. "Our office supports a full and open investigation and believes that better preventive maintenance could have lessened the sheer number and length of the outages."

Also included in the OCC's request is a call for the PUCO to conduct a management audit of AEP related to its prevention and handling of power outages. This audit would, for example, discover whether AEP is following its own policies and procedures and if it is keeping legally required maintenance records.

Outages disrupted hundreds of thousands of AEP customers on December 23, 2004 and over 76,000 customers after a January 6, 2005 storm. In its filing, the OCC recommends that the PUCO specifically investigate the following:

Any lack of preventive maintenance measures, such as inadequate tree trimming and the replacement of deteriorated power poles.
Consumer concerns regarding communications with customers and service restoration.
Alternative measures that consumers may take in response to power outages, such as energy efficiency programs, coupled with alternative fuel sources.

The reliability of AEP's service also was at issue in 2003, when the staff of the PUCO prepared investigative reports about the company's practices. The reports detailed multiple violations of the Electric Service and Safety Standards and contained recommendations for necessary improvements by AEP. Over the OCC's objections, a settlement was reached between the PUCO and AEP that the OCC believes failed to resolve key reliability problems disclosed in the investigative reports.

In January 2004, the OCC asked the PUCO to launch a statewide electric reliability investigation and highlighted the need for electric companies to provide tree-trimming reports that define their practices, outline future plans and disclose current and future spending. Later that month, the PUCO rejected the OCC's request.

"Customers pay for reliable service each month and deserve to know if enough is being done to prevent both weather and non-weather related power outages," said Migden-Ostrander.

About the Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel

The Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel (OCC), the residential utility consumer advocate, represents the interests of 4.5 million households in proceedings before state and federal regulators and in the courts. The state agency also educates consumers about electric, natural gas, telephone and water issues and resolves complaints from individuals. To receive utility information, brochures, schedule a presentation or file a utility complaint, residential consumers may call 1-877-PICKOCC (1-877-742-5622) toll free in Ohio or visit the OCC website at www.pickocc.org.