Citing Rush, AEP Ohio Submits Updated Application for PPAs With Affiliate Generation
May 18,2015
AEP Ohio has submitted an updated application for approval of PPAs between itself and affiliated generation, with products to be sold into the wholesale market and any costs/benefits assigned to all customers via nonbypassable rider.
The update was primarily filed to include AEP Ohio's retained entitlements in to the PPAs covered by the application (since such entitles were not approved for PPA rider treatment in AEP Ohio's electric security plan), and to update the application to address various factors PUCO said would be weighed in addressing applications for PPA riders.
AEP Ohio urged PUCO to rule on its application by October 1, so that AEP can make strategic decisions regarding the plants.
In doing so, AEP Ohio noted that AEP CEO Nick Akins, during a recent earnings call, "stated in this context, with attribution to famous song lyrics, 'a choice not to decide is still a choice' -- meaning that no timely answer on the important PPA question will actually be an answer that nonetheless drives the outcome."
In a footnote, AEP Ohio noted, "The lyric paraphrased by Mr. Akins is from a 1980 song by Rush entitled 'Freewill': 'If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.'"