Why is My Electric Bill so Stinking High?
Vol. III, No. 105 - A little sluething shows an issue between AES and Dynegy Energy
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Rarely do I use this platform to talk about personal issues. I am just one person in a community where every day, neighbors are struggling with things like food, shelter, utilities, and transportation. There are many people whose needs are greater than mine, so it often feels a little self-centered to talk about my own troubles. Still, I hope readers give me a bit of grace today. This week, I faced a challenge that a lot of folks around here are going through: skyrocketing utility costs.
When I paid my family’s electric bill this week, I could hardly believe my eyes. The total was three times higher than last month’s bill. It’s not just me—AES Ohio, our local electric utility, has had plenty of billing problems lately, and many Miami Valley residents have gotten bills that seem outrageously high. The local news recently shared the story of a Dayton family who received zero balances on their bills for months. Even after trying to alert AES that something was wrong, it wasn’t fixed. Then, out of nowhere, the family was hit with a bill for thousands of dollars. Incidents like these are unfair to the families who rely on these services. It should not be the customer’s job to catch errors that end up costing them big money. Utility companies like AES are responsible for making sure bills are correct. When they fail, people can end up with huge expenses they weren’t expecting.
There have been rumors about AES installing new meters that don’t always work right, and many residents say their bills have gone up because of these changes. The company’s website offers a live chat feature, but when I tried it, it wasn't helpful at all. Calling in is just as bad. The phone lines are always busy, and the menus twist you into a maze, making it nearly impossible to get answers. Honestly, the whole experience left me frustrated. It was clear that if my bill was going to be resolved, I would have to solve the problem myself.
After comparing my bill from last month to this month, I found the answer hidden in a footnote. It helps to know how Ohio’s utility system works. The state uses deregulation, which means that the company delivering electricity to your home doesn’t necessarily produce that electricity. Instead, you can choose which company generates your power. With natural gas, it’s similar. However, if you live in a city or area with its own municipal power system or rural electric cooperative, you might not participate in deregulation. These groups usually work as non-profits and set their own rates outside the state’s system.
In addition, Ohio lets communities organize "aggregation" programs. These programs allow towns to negotiate lower electric rates for everyone who lives or works there. The goal is to use the buying power of a whole community to get better deals. Most people are automatically included in their town’s program, although anyone can choose to opt out. For our community in Troy, Dynegy Energy generates our electricity and AES brings it to our homes.
This month, my bill revealed something unexpected: last month, I hadn’t paid anything to Dynegy. AES explained that “New Supplier Charges Were Not Available At Time of Billing.” Was this a Dynegy problem? Was this an AES problem? Does it matter? In the end, the result was a much higher bill this time. Deregulation and aggregation were designed to help families save on energy costs, but these kinds of mistakes put families on the hook.
Ohio’s relationships with utility companies have always had problems. House Bill 6 led to a huge scandal about keeping old power plants open, causing prison sentences and tragedy. Now, new questions are being raised about renewables, wind turbines, solar farms, and the flood of new data centers—all of which stress the grid even more. In the end, it feels that families like ours pay the price for utility problems that reach far beyond our homes.
When utility companies fall short, residents deserve transparency and fair prices—just as the law promises. These systems are supposed to help, not hurt, and everyone should expect better.
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