• The Columbus City Council passed a resolution urging state regulators to block a proposed AEP Ohio rate increase.
• AEP Ohio claims its proposal will save customers money, but the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel estimates it will increase bills by about $30 per month.
• Councilmembers suggest large electricity users like data centers, not residents, should bear the cost of infrastructure investments.
• The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio is expected to make a final decision on the rate case later this winter or spring.

The Columbus City Council is encouraging state regulators to protect Columbus residents from rising electricity bills.

The council passed a ceremonial resolution 9-0 on Jan. 26 asking the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio to block American Electric Power Ohio’s request to raise its distribution rates in 2026 for its 1.5 million Ohio customers.

Columbus City Councilmember Christopher Wyche, chair of the council’s Public Utilities & Sustainability committee, told The Dispatch ahead of the meeting that he was bringing the resolution forward because affordability is quickly becoming the number one issue for residents. He said council is concerned because PUCO has recently approved multiple AEP Ohio rate increases.

“It is clear that we are facing not only a rising cost of living crisis, but also an urgent energy affordability crisis that will have serious impacts on Ohio residents,” Wyche said at the meeting.

This symbolic vote comes ahead of state regulators meeting this week to hear evidence in AEP Ohio’s case. The electricity distributor proposed a settlement in the case on Jan. 7 that it says will save customers money. But the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel, a state agency that advocates for consumers, says the proposal is riddled with “accounting gimmicks” to disguise a rate hike.

Hamilton County is under a level 3 snow emergency and several local counties remain under level 2 snow emergencies, meaning only those who consider it necessary should be out on the roads as cleanup from this weekend’s winter storm continues.

Clermont, Warren and Butler counties in Ohio and Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties in Northern Kentucky remain under level 2 snow emergencies.

Under a level 3, roads are closed to non-emergency personnel. “No one should be driving unless it is a personal emergency,” a sheriff’s office alert states.

Under a level 2, only drivers who consider it necessary to travel should be on the roads. Under level 1, no roads are closed but unnecessary travel is discouraged.

Snow emergency levels in Greater Cincinnati, NKY counties

Snow emergency levels in local counties as of 5:45 a.m. Monday, Jan. 26.

• Butler County: Level 2
• Clermont County: Level 2
• Hamilton County: Level 3
• Warren County: Level 2
• Boone County: Level 2
• Campbell County: Level 2
• Kenton County: Level 2

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Winter Storm Fern arrived in Cleveland shortly after midnight Saturday, pretty much on cue, and covered Northeast Ohio Sunday in a growing blanket of snow.

The National Weather Service upped its regional snowfall prediction across northern Ohio to 10-15 inches after midnight Saturday as the weather system started tracking a little more north.

It later lowered estimates, with the Cleveland area expected to get closer to 10 inches than the roughly 13 predicted for in and around the city.

Cuyahoga County called a Level 2 snow emergency, and warned people to stay off the roads. Most county buildings, including courts, will be closed to the public on Monday.

Cleveland Hopkins International Airport reported 4.6 inches at 1 p.m. Sunday, while accumulations elsewhere in Cuyahoga likely ranged between 4 and 7 inches, according to NWS meteorologist Jim Sullivan.

Another 4 to 7 inches is likely before the snow was to taper off Sunday night. Some lake effect is expected Monday.

It was a hefty amount of snow for the region to contend with, although it had plenty of warning – as did the country.

Unlike ice in the South, it was all snow in Cleveland.

A slew of events were canceled. The Cleveland Clinic closed some urgent care centers, and Giant Eagle closed its stores early. The Cleveland Museum of Art and Cleveland Museum of Natural History closed. Even the ice rink in Rocky River closed.

Schools across the area also canceled for Monday, as did Summit County courts, some churches and libraries.

Jury selection in the bribery case of former FirstEnergy CEO Chuck Jones and top lobbyist Michael Dowling will start Tuesday instead of Monday.

A die-hard crowd of powder hounds made it to Boston Mills ski resort for the good snow. And some families screamed with glee on sledding hills.

But most Northeast Ohioans followed the directions of Gov. Mike DeWine to stay home. They hunkered down inside to enjoy the calm that comes with a soft blanketing of sound-muffling snow, albeit punctuated by the rumble of plow trucks and the growl of snow throwers shunting waves of white powder.

Bring on the board games, hot chocolate and blankets. And for sports fans, there’s two NFL playoff games to watch to see who will play in the Super Bowl.

The storm hit as many Northeast Ohio communities faced salt shortages leading up to the storm as the early winter had eaten into their supplies. That meant some roads normally treated would not be, officials said.

Cleveland announced Friday that the Ohio Department of Transportation had provided it with a shipment of salt.

While the snow was expected to taper off Sunday evening, frigid air is being forecast behind it, according to the National Weather Service. While Monday could bring an inch or two of lake-effect snow, the bigger story is the cold.

High temperatures in Cleveland Monday will be about 16-17 degrees, but then dropping overnight to below zero, and with windchills at about minus 20.

That means the snow will stick around all week long. And who knows how many more canceled school days are on tap.