AKRON, Ohio, April 23, 2026, 09:10 (EDT)
- FirstEnergy said Ohio Edison, The Illuminating Company, and Toledo Edison are set to submit their initial three-year rate plan to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio by May 22.
- The company estimates its plan would raise around $800 million annually for grid improvements and allocate $83 million a year to tree trimming. For a standard 1,000-kWh household, monthly bills would climb by about $4.26 to $5.30 during each year the proposal is in effect, assuming it gets the green light.
- Ohio utilities are now moving to the new House Bill 15 rate-setting process. AES Ohio put in its filing under the updated rules back in November, and AEP Ohio secured a settlement this April.
FirstEnergy Corp’s Ohio utilities plan to submit their initial three-year rate proposal by May 22, the company said Thursday. If state regulators sign off, the plan could bump up the average household bill by roughly $4 to $5 a month for each year covered.
The filing takes on new importance after last year’s overhaul of Ohio’s utility ratemaking rules. House Bill 15, which kicks in Aug. 14, 2025, says electric distribution utilities have to file new rate cases every three years. Companies can lay out three straight 12-month base-rate periods in a single case, and the PUCO then has 360 days after a complete submission to make a final call. Distribution rates pay for the local infrastructure—poles, wires, substations—that get electricity to customers, not the generation itself.
AES Ohio put in its initial three-year reliability plan back on Nov. 10, the company’s first under Ohio’s revised law. AEP Ohio, on the other hand, announced that regulators signed off on a settlement in its distribution case as of April 1. This leaves FirstEnergy’s filing landing squarely in the midst of Ohio’s inaugural run with the new regulatory structure.
FirstEnergy pitched a plan backing about $800 million annually on poles, wires, grid tech, and other infrastructure, and another $83 million each year earmarked for tree trimming—something the company says is a top culprit behind outages for Ohio customers. Torrence Hinton, who heads up FirstEnergy Ohio, described the proposal as “careful and balanced planning,” focused on projects that drive the “biggest difference” but still factor in affordability. PR Newswire
The company said it plans to maintain its current bill-assistance programs, boost low-income support, and keep energy-efficiency help in place for qualifying households. Looking at typical usage—1,000 kilowatt-hours a month—for customers on standard utility supply, Ohio Edison would see bills climb an average 2.2%, or $4.26 more a month each year. The Illuminating Company’s average bump: 2.6%, translating to $5.15 per month. Toledo Edison customers face a 2.8% increase, or $5.30. These figures leave out supply charges, which fluctuate separately.
The Ohio filing is just one piece of a larger spending surge. Back in February, FirstEnergy mapped out a $36 billion capital plan through 2030, steering more than $19 billion toward transmission upgrades. CEO Brian Tierney called it an effort to “build a stronger, more resilient grid” as utilities nationwide try to keep up with booming demand from data centers and expanding electrification. Investors will get their first-quarter update after the close on April 28, followed by a call on April 29. Reuters
The filing follows a rough period for FirstEnergy in Ohio. Last November, state regulators hit FirstEnergy’s Ohio utilities with $250.7 million in penalties and refunds for past violations. Then in January, the company announced a settlement approved by PUCO would return another $275 million to customers through restitution and refunds—including bill credits for households.
But it’s not a done deal. The Ohio Consumers’ Counsel points out that rehearing requests remain unresolved in FirstEnergy’s 2024 base-rate case, after regulators slashed the company’s initial ask to about $34 million from $190 million. And even if the revised plan gets the nod, there’s no guarantee customers’ bills will move in step—separate supply-price shifts could either negate or deepen the impact, since the proposal only addresses distribution.
FirstEnergy aims to file by May 22. When that happens, the case is set to stand out as a key test of Ohio’s post-HB 15 framework—raising the question: can it actually accelerate grid investment, or does it just risk piling more headaches on customers already worn out by rate disputes, refunds, and a long string of regulatory blowups?
