What to Know About AES Remote Shut Offs
As winter approaches, Miami Valley Community Action Partnership (MVCAP) reminds AES Ohio customers to carefully review their utility bills.
New technology and policy changes mean that disconnections can now happen faster—and without a visit to your home. Understanding your bill is the best way to protect your household from surprise shutoffs.
AES Ohio has been implementing Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) “smart” meters for residential and commercial customers since 2021. The smart meters allow for remote reading of usage used in calculating bills.
They also allow for remote disconnections. For many years, customers were able to take advantage of a “last chance” to pay their bills when a technician physically arrived at their home to disconnect service.
Despite objections from consumer advocates, AES was granted a waiver of the in-person notification rule in 2023. However, the company did not begin using its remote disconnection capabilities until its new customer information system was complete this spring. MVCAP Utility Assistance advocates met several clients this summer who had been remotely disconnected and needed help from the Summer Crisis Program.
What Customers Should Know
1. Smart meter installation is not complete. It is possible for residential customers to opt out.
2. If you opt out, AES is permitted by PUCO to charge you both a one-time fee ($98.99) and an ongoing monthly fee ($36.47). The fees are intended to cover the cost of sending a staff person to your home to read your meter manually.
3. If you are enrolled in the Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP), you pay for your usage based on a percentage of your income. Your PIPP payment does NOT include the monthly opt out fee.
4. HEAP benefits go toward the account balance and can be used on the opt out fees. If a customer is in disconnect because of the fees, Summer or Winter crisis can help.
The Good News
In addition to remotely disconnecting customers, AES can and will remotely RECONNECT customers. This means that if you pay your bill, your service can be restored immediately. It also means that if you apply for Winter Crisis or PIPP and are able to receive a pledge from MVCAP, your service can be restored immediately.
What to Do
1. Know Your Meter: The above photo shows an AES AMI meter as displayed on the utility company’s website. If you have a meter that looks like this, your usage is being read remotely.
2. Read your bill: Notices about past due balances and possible dates for disconnection will appear on your regular bill.
3. Watch your mailboxes: Pay attention to both postal mail and email for notices from AES that may include information about when a smart meter will be installed at your home or information about past due balances.
4. Call MVCAP Right Away: If you receive a disconnect notice between Nov. 1 and March 31, you may be eligible for MVCAP’s Winter Crisis Program. Contact us as soon as you receive a disconnect notice to avoid losing service.