COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — AEP Ohio on Friday filed for a base rate increase, citing the need to maintain poles, wires and transformers as well as the need to protect equipment to help prevent outages.

If approved by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, customers could see their base rate increase by about 2.14%, or about $3.95 for the average customer using 1,000 kWh of electricity per month.

“The base rate increase is needed to ensure we can continue to support, maintain and upgrade the system through new investments; respond to demands on the system because of growth; and to repair or update aging infrastructure,” according to the company’s website.

AEP Ohio said it last filed for a base rate increase in 2020, and since then, said it has invested more than $2 billion to improve its distribution system.

PUCO will review the latest request, which must be approved before it goes into effect. That process could take more than a year.

“We understand that a rate increase — no matter the amount — is never welcome news,” AEP Ohio said in an email sent to customers. “We also recognize that rising inflation and increased costs for many household essentials have put a strain on some customers. AEP Ohio has several resources available, from payment arrangements and extensions to tools to manage energy usage to guidance about government programs to assist with bills.”

The rate increase filing comes as AEP Ohio customers are already expected to see bills increase starting in June due to increased generation costs. The company estimates that beginning in June, customers who use 1,000 kWh of electricity per month would see their monthly bills increase by about $27.

AEP Ohio has blamed the June increase on PJM, a regional transmission organization that coordinates the movement of electricity across Ohio and 12 other states. PJM does not generate electricity, but coordinates how electricity is transmitted to help meet electricity demand.

“In a recent auction, the entire PJM region saw significant increases in the price of electricity generation capacity compared with previous auctions,” AEP Ohio stated. “This cost is always passed to customers dollar-for-dollar, with no markup or profit for AEP Ohio.”

In May, PJM said plenty of resources are available to meet typical peak summer electricity demand but warned that there are “extreme scenarios” in which generation capacity may fall short.