AES Ohio Rates: What Dayton Customers Pay in 2026

Picture a household in Kettering opening their July electric bill, squinting at a total that climbed again, and wondering whether anything can be done about it. Plenty of AES Ohio customers are in exactly that position. The utility formerly known as Dayton Power and Light serves most of the greater Dayton area, and its default electricity supply rate sits at roughly 9.4 cents per kWh as of July 2026. That number is neither the highest nor the lowest among Ohio's major utilities, but it's also not the floor. Competitive suppliers operating in the AES Ohio territory are offering rates as low as 7.6 cents per kWh, which on a typical home's usage can translate to a meaningful difference on every single bill.

The state of Ohio allows customers to choose a competitive electricity supplier instead of accepting the utility's default price. That choice has been available for years, but a surprising number of AES Ohio customers are still on the Standard Service Offer simply because no one walked them through the comparison process. This post does exactly that.

AES Ohio is the regulated electric distribution utility serving the Dayton region and surrounding counties. Long-time residents still call it Dayton Power and Light, the name the company used for most of its history before rebranding. The company is regulated by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO), which sets the rules for how distribution rates are structured and oversees the competitive retail market.

What AES Ohio controls are the poles, wires, and delivery infrastructure. The supply side, meaning the actual electricity generation that shows up as a commodity charge on the bill, is where customers have a choice. When a customer hasn't selected a competitive supplier, AES Ohio automatically provides supply through its Standard Service Offer, which is the default pricing mechanism sanctioned by PUCO.

Every AES Ohio bill includes a line item called the Price to Compare. This is the number that matters most when shopping for a competitive supplier. It represents the effective per-kWh cost of the utility's default supply, expressed in a way that makes direct comparison to supplier offers straightforward.

As of July 2026, AES Ohio's Price to Compare reflects that ~9.4 cent default rate. When a competitive supplier quotes a rate lower than your current Price to Compare, the savings are real, assuming no other fees are bundled into the supplier's contract. Always read the full offer details before signing. Some offers include fixed monthly fees, early termination charges, or variable-rate clauses that can erode the apparent savings. The Price to Compare is your benchmark, not just a formality.

Ohio has six major electric distribution utilities, each with its own Standard Service Offer rate. Placing AES Ohio's default rate in context helps customers understand where they stand relative to neighbors in other parts of the state.

As of July 2026, the default supply rates across Ohio's major utilities are approximately:

Ohio Edison: ~9.3 cents/kWh
AES Ohio: ~9.4 cents/kWh
The Illuminating Company: ~9.5 cents/kWh
Toledo Edison: ~9.7 cents/kWh
Duke Energy Ohio: ~10.1 cents/kWh
AEP Ohio: ~10.7 cents/kWh

AES Ohio lands near the lower end of this range. AEP Ohio customers, for example, face a default rate roughly 1.3 cents per kWh higher. That said, the opportunity to save by switching to a competitive supplier exists in every territory, because the lowest available competitive rates in the state currently hover around 7.6 cents per kWh. Even from AES Ohio's relatively modest default, the spread is real.

For a regularly updated view of what suppliers are offering in your specific zip code, check the Ohio electricity rates page at ElectricRates.org, which pulls live offers across all utility territories.

Ohio runs a state-managed comparison tool called Energy Choice Ohio, sometimes referred to by its tagline "Apples to Apples." It's the official PUCO-backed resource where certified competitive suppliers post their offers, making it possible to see all available rates for a given utility territory side by side.

To use it, customers select their utility (AES Ohio in this case), enter their zip code, and browse supplier offers sorted by price per kWh. The tool includes information on contract length, rate type (fixed versus variable), and any applicable fees. Comparing on Energy Choice Ohio before committing to any supplier is strongly recommended. A supplier that looks cheap at first glance may carry a variable rate that spikes after a promotional period, so the fine print matters.

PUCO maintains and updates the Apples to Apples listings, so the information reflects currently certified suppliers rather than outdated or deregistered ones.

Switching suppliers in AES Ohio territory does not interrupt service, change how outages are handled, or require any new equipment. The utility's wires and technicians remain the same. The only thing that changes is which company supplies the electricity commodity and what rate appears on the supply line of the bill.

The general process works like this. A customer finds a competitive supplier they want to use, either through Energy Choice Ohio or through ElectricRates.org. They sign an agreement with that supplier, which can often be done online or by phone. The supplier notifies AES Ohio, which updates the account on the next billing cycle. Customers typically see the new supply rate reflected within one to two billing periods.

If a customer ever wants to return to AES Ohio's Standard Service Offer, they can do so by terminating the supplier agreement, though early termination fees may apply depending on the contract terms. Reading the contract before signing remains the single most important step in the process.

For a full look at available suppliers and current rates in the AES Ohio territory, visit ElectricRates.org's Ohio page for live comparisons.

Competitive supplier savings aren't the only option for reducing electricity costs in the AES Ohio territory. Ohio administers two federally supported programs for income-qualifying households.

PIPP (Percentage of Income Payment Plan) is a PUCO-administered program that caps monthly electric payments at a percentage of household income, with the remaining balance forgiven over time. It is available through AES Ohio for qualifying low-income customers.

HEAP (Home Energy Assistance Program) provides one-time or seasonal bill credits funded through the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Eligibility and benefit amounts vary by income, household size, and funding availability.

For current eligibility thresholds and how to apply, the authoritative sources are the PUCO website and the Ohio Development Services Agency, which administers HEAP. ElectricRates.org does not process applications for these programs, but both are worth exploring before or alongside shopping for a competitive supplier.

A few specifics come up repeatedly when AES Ohio customers shop for competitive supply.

Fixed versus variable rates. A fixed-rate contract locks in a per-kWh price for the contract term, typically six to twenty-four months. A variable rate can change month to month, sometimes offering a low introductory price that adjusts upward. For customers who want predictability, fixed-rate contracts offer more stability.

Contract length. Shorter contracts give more flexibility to re-shop when market conditions change. Longer contracts provide rate stability but can come with early termination fees if circumstances change.

Bundled fees. A low per-kWh rate paired with a high monthly service fee can end up costing more than a slightly higher rate with no added fees. Always calculate the total expected monthly cost, not just the headline rate.

Renewal terms. Some contracts automatically roll into a new term, sometimes at a higher rate, if the customer doesn't actively cancel or renew. Mark the contract end date on a calendar and revisit the market before it arrives.

Shopping every year or two, even if a current supplier rate is competitive, is a reasonable habit. The market changes, and what was the best available rate a year ago may no longer be.

AES Ohio's default supply rate of roughly 9.4 cents per kWh as of July 2026 is one of the lower utility defaults in Ohio, but the competitive market can still offer meaningfully better pricing. The gap between the default rate and the lowest available competitive rates in the state is real, and it shows up on every bill.

The process for capturing those savings is straightforward. Find the Price to Compare on the current AES Ohio bill, browse certified supplier offers on Energy Choice Ohio or ElectricRates.org, read the contract terms carefully, and switch if the math works in favor of doing so. If income-based assistance programs apply, those are worth pursuing in parallel.

Ohio's competitive electricity market exists specifically to give consumers this option. Using it costs nothing to explore.