AEP Program Helps Spread the Cost of Heating and Cooling
Written by WKTN Staff on July 18, 2019
GAHANNA, Ohio, July 18, 2019 — When summer temperatures rise, so can electric bills.
AEP Ohio, an American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) company, has a program to help spread the cost of heating and cooling over the whole year so residential customers can avoid seasonal bill increases.
AEP Ohio’s Average Monthly Payment (AMP) plan provides monthly payments on a rolling 12-month average. Each month, the oldest bill is removed from the average and the current month’s bill is added. The result is a payment that might go up or down a few dollars but will remain relatively stable each month. AMP does not include a “settle-up” month, unlike the company’s Budget plan, which does.
“Enrolling in AMP provides our customers with more predictable payments, which makes monthly budgeting much easier,” said Katie Grayem, director of customer experience for AEP Ohio. “It’s also a great alternative for our Budget Plan customers who want to avoid large, annual settle-up payments.”
In addition to AMP, AEP Ohio offers a variety of energy efficiency programs to help customers save money and energy this summer, including a Home Energy Profile. This free, online service provides personalized recommendations based on a short survey about your home, appliances and energy use. When customers complete the profile, they receive a free personalized report with energy savings tips and projects.
Here are a few tips to help you further reduce your electric usage and bill this summer:
.Turn off lights, fans and electronics when not in use.
.Replace incandescent light bulbs with Energy Star LEDs.
.Pull the plug on devices, like phone chargers, when not in use. They still consume energy, even when turned off. As a friendly reminder, unplugging your DVR/cable box might interrupt recordings of your favorite television shows and result in a full system reboot.
.Use smart power strips for electronics likes computers and televisions. They can sense when a device is turned off or not being used and will shut off the power automatically.
.Close window blinds to prevent the sun from increasing indoor temperatures.
.Keep the thermostat to a minimum of 78 degrees while circulating cool air with box and ceiling fans.
.Caulk, weather-strip and insulate windows and doors wherever air leaks are found.
.Replace air conditioner filters. Clean filters can lower air conditioner energy consumption up to 15 percent.
AEP Ohio customers can enroll in AMP by calling the company’s 24-hour Customer Solutions Center at 800-672-2231 or by logging into their account and updating their billing preferences.
AMP is only applicable to AEP Ohio charges. If you participate in Ohio Choice and want to enroll in a budget plan for generation charges, contact your generation provider.
For more information and ways to save, visit AEPOhio.com/AMP.
