Welcome to the AES Ohio 2023 Community Impact Report Media Kit. This kit is designed to provide media partners with comprehensive resources to report on AES Ohio's impactful contributions to the community in 2023.
AES Ohio Releases 2023 Community Impact Report
Investments total $2.18 million into the community
Dayton, OH – May 6, 2024 – Today, AES Ohio, a subsidiary of The AES Corporation (NYSE: AES), released its 2023 Community Impact Report, Illuminating Ohio. The report details the Company’s $2.18 million in investments back to West Central Ohio focusing on partnerships that positively impact economic development and the arts, poverty reduction, workforce development, and diversity, equity and inclusion. Collectively through AES Ohio and the AES Ohio Foundation, $2.18 million was distributed to 77 nonprofit organizations. The report is available online. AES Ohio does not pass on the cost of its community investments or advertising to customers.
“At AES Ohio, we pride ourselves on being more than a local power company – we are your neighbor in energy,” said Tom Raga, AES Ohio President. “Our 2023 Impact Report highlights how we are building sustainable, resilient communities through partnerships. It also features our employees, who we encourage to give back through volunteerism and participation on community boards. With leadership of our people and community partners, AES Ohio makes a positive, long-lasting impact in the region.”
Highlights from AES Ohio’s 2023 Community Impact Report include:
Economic Development
- Through our state and local partnerships, AES Ohio participated in 39 economic impact projects last year, resulting in more than 10,000 new and retained jobs.
- New AES capital investments, such as utility poles and electrical equipment, totaled $1.07 billion – part of our commitment to driving sustainable economic growth in Ohio.
Arts
- The AES Ohio Foundation continued to support the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance.
- More than 59,000 patrons filled the theatre. 554 students participated in the Ballet School, Q the Music and the Youth Orchestras.
- The “Arts Are for Everyone” $5 program sponsored by AES Ohio, broadened access, and affordability to the community for DPAA programs and reached 3,896 tickets sold.
Poverty Reduction
- The AES Ohio Foundation provided a grant for the Rebuilding Together Dayton Seasonal Safe@Home program.
- Additionally, AES Ohio joined nearly 500 community volunteers for National Rebuilding Day in the Edgemont and Carillon neighborhoods.
Workforce Development
- The AES Ohio Foundation awarded a grant to support the new Clothes That Work Mobile Outreach Initiative, a 38-foot-long mobile trailer that extends service delivery and eliminates transportation barriers to access services.
- Annually, AES Ohio partners with Clothes That Work to host a clothing drive to address the needs of jobseekers.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
- In collaboration with ThinkTV, public broadcasting service, AES Ohio took part in the Engineering Your Future: Middle School Edition program, a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education program.
- The series introduces middle schoolers to engineering and other in-demand STEM careers possibilities.
To read more stories about how AES Ohio is making a difference in our communities, view the 2023 AES Ohio Community Impact Report, Illuminating Ohio here.
About AES Ohio
AES Ohio is the principal subsidiary of DPL Inc. (DPL), a regional energy provider and an AES company. AES Ohio, a regulated electric utility, provides service to over 540,000 customers in West Central Ohio. During its long history, AES Ohio has served its customers with the lowest rates in Ohio among investor-owned utilities. Connect with AES Ohio on X , Facebook, and LinkedIn. Learn more about how AES Ohio is accelerating the future of energy, visit aes-ohio.com.
AES Ohio 2023 community impact report: Illuminating Ohio
The AES Ohio 2023 Community Impact Report details the company's extensive investments and initiatives in Ohio's 24-county service territory. AES Ohio has delivered electric services in the Miami Valley and maintained its commitment to the community through significant economic development projects, modernization of the electric grid, and extensive community engagement. In 2023, AES Ohio, along with The AES Ohio Foundation, invested a total of $2.18 million into local communities, covering strategic focus areas such as arts and culture, poverty reduction, economic development, workforce development, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Key highlights include:
- AES Ohio's participation in 39 economic impact projects, creating and retaining over 10,000 jobs and contributing $383 million to the Miami Valley economy.
- Capital investments totaling $1.07 billion, enhancing the electric grid and deploying smart meters as part of a state-approved plan.
- The AES Ohio Foundation's continued commitment, granting $1.37 million in 2023, aimed at uplifting various community segments and fostering long-term sustainable growth.
2023 AES Ohio community contributions
- Total investment: $2.18 million in community investments.
- Strategic focus areas: Arts and Culture, Poverty Reduction, Economic Development, Workforce Development, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
- Diverse contributions: Investment allocations include 17% to Arts and Culture, 26% to Poverty Reduction, 36% to Economic Development, 15% to Workforce Development, and 6% to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
- Customer impact: AES Ohio does not pass on the costs of its community investments or advertising to customers, ensuring that service costs remain fair and unburdened by additional charges.
- Arts and culture: 17% of total community investments supported arts and culture initiatives, including significant backing for the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance, enhancing cultural access and education.
- Economic development: Contributed significantly through infrastructure upgrades and partnerships like the Joby Aviation development, which is set to create 2,000 jobs and the LG Energy Solution-Honda Joint Venture, supporting new energy infrastructure.
- Environmental initiatives: Modernization of the energy grid through the deployment of smart meters and enhanced grid technologies, focusing on efficiency and reliability, part of a broader commitment to environmental sustainability and reduced energy consumption.
AES Ohio is actively engaged in several initiatives to boost the local economy, including infrastructure upgrades essential for business operations and large-scale projects like the Joby Aviation facility, which is expected to create 2,000 jobs by 2028.
Investments focus on five key areas: Arts and Culture (17%), Poverty Reduction (26%), Economic Development (36%), Workforce Development (15%), and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (6%).
No, AES Ohio does not charge its customers for community investments or advertising expenses.
Major projects include the support for the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance, partnership with Bike Miami Valley, and investments in educational programs with local universities and initiatives like the Smart Grid Plan.
AES Ohio is focused on modernizing the energy grid with smart technologies, supporting electrification projects like electric vehicle infrastructure and investing in renewable energy initiatives.
Ken Zagzebski
Ken Zagzebski Senior Vice President of AES President of AES Utilities CEO of AES Indiana and AES Ohio
Ken Zagzebski is Senior Vice President of AES, President of AES Utilities and CEO of AES Indiana and AES Ohio. Ken served as the Chief Operating Officer of AES Clean Energy and VP, Global Integrated EPC, where he implemented practices for the business to achieve the level of scale in the growth targets.
Prior positions with the company include President of the AES US Strategic Business Unit, President of AES Southland Energy, President and CEO of Indianapolis Power & Light (IPL) and Senior Vice President of Customer Operations.
Ken is an experienced energy executive with operational and financial leadership experience, domestically and internationally. Prior to joining AES in 2007, Ken worked at Xcel Energy as the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Field Operations and several other leadership positions including the Executive Director of the company’s Asia-Pacific region with responsibility for the company’s regional investments primarily located in Australia.
Ken holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and an MBA from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. He currently Chairs the Marian University Educators College Board of Visitors and is on the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee (GIPC) executive committee.
Tom Raga
Tom Raga President, AES Ohio
Tom Raga is vice president at AES US Utilities., a subsidiary of The AES Corporation. In his current role as a member of the leadership team, he oversees government relations and RTO affairs for AES’ two utilities: AES Indiana and AES Ohio. He is responsible for the utilities’ grant responses to the Bi-Partisan Infrastructure Law (BIL/IIJA). He also serves as the Executive Director of the AES Ohio Foundation.
Tom has served in numerous roles including leading AES Ohio as it completed its transformation from a vertically integrated utility to an electric transmission and distribution company. The process comprised multiple state and federal regulatory decisions including those addressing the separation of its generation assets to a subsidiary. He has held other management roles overseeing transmission resource planning, customer care, corporate communications, strategic accounts, stakeholder management, safety, environmental services, and corporate social responsibility.
Before joining DP&L, he was a vice president at Sinclair Community College in Dayton and served three terms as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives.
Raga’s community service includes board positions on the Dayton Development Coalition, Indiana Energy Association, Dayton Business Committee, Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce and Capital Square Foundation.
An Ohio native, Raga graduated from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.
