COLUMBUS — Opponents are facing a deadline to ask Ohio utility regulators to reconsider their approval of two closely-watched energy deals that allowed two utility companies to impose short-term rate increases to subsidize some older coal-fired and nuclear power plants.

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio has set Monday as the date for requesting re-hearings on power purchase agreements filed separately by Akron-based FirstEnergy and Columbus-based AEP.

Commissioners approved the companies’ plans with some changes March 31.

In the run-up to those votes, the deals generated mountains of written testimony, websites, email-writing campaigns and sparring television ads.

That’s because they follow an old model at a time of sweeping change in the U.S. energy market that consumer and alternative-energy groups believe should be driving prices down and forcing coal-fired plants to close.

First Published May 2, 2016, 5:07 a.m.