OHIO — A familiar name on electric bills across eastern Ohio will soon look different. Beginning Oct. 1, AEP Ohio will operate under the name Ohio Power Company, accompanied by a redesigned monthly bill for its approximately 1.5 million customers statewide.
Despite the new branding, customers should not expect changes to their electric service, rates, account information, payment options or existing methods of contacting the utility. No action is required from customers as part of the transition.
The company has long operated legally as Ohio Power Company, and the change will bring that name to the forefront of its public branding. Customers will begin seeing Ohio Power Company on electric bills, online services, customer communications and other company materials.
Along with the new name, October bills will have a different appearance. The redesigned format, approved earlier this year by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, is intended to make the different costs included in a customer’s monthly electric bill easier to identify.
The new statements will provide a clearer breakdown of distribution, transmission and generation charges, along with information about a customer’s electricity supplier and monthly energy usage.
That distinction is significant because the utility does not control every charge appearing on a customer’s bill. Ohio Power Company operates as a distribution-only electric utility under Ohio law. Its role includes maintaining the infrastructure used to deliver electricity to homes and businesses, while electricity generation is handled separately. The company says it does not generate electricity or earn a profit from generation purchased on behalf of customers.
Company President Marc Reitter said the redesigned bill is intended to give customers a better understanding of where their monthly charges originate and which portions of their electric costs are controlled by the utility.
The change will also include a new online identity. The company’s current AEP Ohio website will transition to OhioPowerCo.com in October. Customers who visit the existing website will be automatically redirected to the new site.
Existing customer-service numbers, payment methods and mobile-app access will continue to work.
Ohio Power Company serves nearly 1,000 communities across the state and employs approximately 1,400 people. The utility says its employees had contributed more than 3,330 volunteer hours across Ohio through September, while the Ohio Power Company Foundation had provided approximately $1.3 million to 131 organizations this year.
For customers, the biggest noticeable differences beginning Oct. 1 will be the Ohio Power Company name and the redesigned electric bill. Electric service itself will continue without changes related to the rebranding.
