Utility will repay $25,294 overcharge

6/29/2007
ASSOCIATED PRESS

COLUMBUS GROVE, Ohio - American Electric Power plans to repay this village more than $25,000 it was overcharged for electricity at its water plant since 1999, officials said.

AEP discovered it was collecting too much from the northwest Ohio community after the Village Council asked the company to move an electricity meter from the parking lot beside the water plant, village Clerk/Treasurer Janet Hermiller said.

A representative from AEP then alerted the village that the meter had not been installed properly in 1999, Ms. Hermiller said. "They came forward and said they made a mistake." No one noticed the electric bill nearly doubled after the meter was installed, village officials said. The village had been overcharged about $250 a month.

The council was to receive a check from AEP for $25,294.56 for the overcharges. The money will go into the village's water fund, Ms. Hermiller said.

Columbus Grove is about 55 miles southwest of Toledo.