American Electric Power failed to publish legal notices for hearings held last April on a rate proposal, and now the company wants a mulligan.
Columbus-based AEP disclosed its error with a filing last week and is petitioning the Public Utilities Commission to make an exception to the rule that requires that notice of those hearings be printed in local newspapers. As an alternative, AEP suggests holding an additional hearing, which would receive proper notice.
The move is an unusual one. The PUCO has no record of a utility company making this type of mistake since the law for rate plans was updated in 2008.
The rate proposal at the heart of this issue is still under review and would run through 2024.