Columbus Ohio Electricity Rates: AEP Ohio & Energy Choice

If you live in Columbus, you're probably served by AEP Ohio. The good news? Ohio has deregulated electricity, which means you can shop around.

Here's what that looks like in practice. Columbus has over 900,000 people (Ohio's biggest city), and most households use about 892 kWh each month. Your bill probably runs around $139.50 for supply and delivery combined.

You've got three paths forward. You can stick with AEP Ohio's default service at their current Price to Compare rate. You can shop competitive suppliers who offer both fixed and variable rate plans. Or you can join Clean Energy Columbus, which is the city's municipal aggregation program that gives you 100% renewable energy.

Knowing these options exists is half the battle. The other half is picking the one that saves you money.

AEP Ohio is the main electric utility for Columbus and central Ohio. They operate through the Columbus Southern Power service territory.

Here's something you should check right now. Pull out your AEP Ohio bill and find the Service Delivery Identifier. If it starts with 0004, you're in the Columbus Southern Power zone (that's the Columbus metro area). If it starts with 0014, you're in the Ohio Power zone (other AEP territories).

Here's the thing though - it doesn't really matter which zone you're in anymore. Both zones now charge identical residential rates for delivery and the Price to Compare supply charges. So you can stop worrying about that.

No matter who you pick for your electricity supplier, AEP Ohio still handles the actual infrastructure - the distribution lines, outage response when storms knock out power, and meter reading. They serve about 1.5 million customers across Ohio, and Columbus is their biggest market by far.

AEP Ohio's current Price to Compare for Columbus homes is 9.80¢/kWh from October through December 2025.

Here's how your costs break down. The supply charge is 9.80¢ per kilowatt-hour, which is AEP's Price to Compare. Then you've got distribution charges running about $83 to $90 each month on average. These rates get updated quarterly based on wholesale electricity auctions.

When you're shopping around, you're looking to beat that 9.80¢ benchmark. Any supplier rate below the Price to Compare means immediate savings on the generation portion of your bill. The delivery charges from AEP Ohio stay exactly the same no matter which supplier you pick.

What matters: focus on the supply rate when you're comparing options. That's the only part that changes and where your savings show up.

Clean Energy Columbus is the city's municipal aggregation program. You get 100% renewable electricity at rates that often beat what AEP Ohio charges.

The way it works is pretty simple. If you're eligible, the city automatically enrolls you - it's an opt-out program. Don't like it? You can leave anytime and pick a different supplier. AEP Energy runs the actual program, but the City of Columbus keeps watch over it.

Right now (December 2025 through June 2026), Clean Energy Columbus charges 9.08¢/kWh for 100% renewable power. Compare that to AEP Ohio's Price to Compare of 9.80¢/kWh. That's real savings for cleaner energy.

The rates used to be even better - from June 2024 to May 2025, they were only 6.612¢/kWh. Those were the days.

Who's this best for? Anyone who wants green energy without spending hours comparing suppliers. It's a hassle-free renewable option that usually saves you money too.

If you want to shop around, head to PUCO's Apples to Apples comparison site at energychoice.ohio.gov. That's where you'll find all the competitive suppliers who can serve AEP Ohio customers in Columbus.

You've got three main plan types to pick from. Fixed-rate plans lock in your price anywhere from 6 to 36 months - good protection when you think rates might climb. Variable-rate plans adjust every month based on market conditions, and they usually don't hit you with early termination fees. Then there are green energy plans that use renewable power or renewable energy certificates.

When you're comparing, pay attention to a few key things. First, check if the rate beats the 9.80¢/kWh Price to Compare. Look at contract length and watch out for early termination fees that can sting if you need to switch. And make sure you know whether that advertised rate includes everything or if there are sneaky extra monthly fees.

The good news? Ohio has real consumer protections. Suppliers can't charge you more than what they disclosed upfront, and PUCO enforces these rules for all Ohio electricity customers.

Here's something that trips people up. A small slice of Columbus isn't served by AEP Ohio at all. They're served by the City of Columbus Division of Power, a municipal electric utility.

If that's you, I have bad news: you can't participate in Ohio electricity choice. Municipal utilities operate outside the deregulated market entirely. Your rates are set by the city, not by market competition.

How do you know which one you have? Look at the top of your electric bill. If it says "City of Columbus," you're a Division of Power customer and shopping isn't an option. If it says "AEP Ohio," you can shop around freely.

The Division of Power serves about 12,000 customers, mostly in older neighborhoods near downtown. If you need to reach them, call 614-645-8276.

But most Columbus residents are AEP Ohio customers with full access to supplier shopping. If you're reading this guide hoping to save money, odds are good you can.

Your AEP Ohio bill can look confusing until you understand the two main pieces.

First, there are supply charges. This is what you're paying for electricity generation. It's either the Price to Compare rate (if you're on default service) or whatever rate your competitive supplier charges. This is the part you can shop around for.

Second, there are distribution charges. This pays for AEP Ohio's infrastructure - the poles, wires, transformers, and crews that maintain it all. This runs about $83 to $90 per month for a typical house. You can't shop this part; AEP Ohio is your only option for delivery.

You'll also see a customer charge (a fixed monthly fee just for having an account) and transmission charges (moving power from generating plants to your local grid).

Your bill shows your total kWh used, your daily averages, and how your usage compares to previous months. It also shows the Price to Compare so you can evaluate whether switching suppliers makes sense.

If you're in Clean Energy Columbus, your bill will show AEP Energy as your supplier with the program rate. Otherwise it'll show whoever you switched to, or just AEP Ohio's default service.

Bottom line: shopping for a supplier can reduce your supply charges, while efficiency improvements (LED bulbs, better insulation, smarter thermostat habits) reduce how much you use in the first place.

There are two ways to lower your electric bill: pay less per kWh, or use fewer kWh. Ideally you do both.

On the supply side, the obvious move is shopping for a rate that beats the 9.80¢/kWh Price to Compare. You can also just join Clean Energy Columbus if you don't want to hassle with comparing suppliers. They're charging 9.08¢ right now for 100% renewable, so you'd save money and get green energy without doing anything complicated. If you think rates might climb, locking in a fixed-rate plan now could pay off later.

On the efficiency side, the usual suspects: LED bulbs if you haven't already (they use a fraction of the power), a smart thermostat that learns your schedule, weatherization stuff like sealing drafts and adding insulation. Running your dishwasher and laundry at off-peak hours helps too, especially if you're on a time-of-use rate.

AEP Ohio has some programs worth knowing about. They offer rebates on efficient appliances, free home energy audits, and budget billing if you'd rather have predictable monthly payments spread across the year.

And if money is tight, look into PIPP (Percentage of Income Payment Plan). It caps your bill at a percentage of your household income if you qualify. That's real help for people who need it.

Doesn't matter who your electricity supplier is. When the power goes out, you're calling AEP Ohio. They own the lines and they're the ones who fix them.

To report an outage, call 1-800-672-2231. You can also use the AEP Ohio app or check their outage map at aepohio.com/outages to see if they already know about it and when power might come back.

Columbus outages usually happen for the predictable reasons: summer thunderstorms, winter ice storms, high winds knocking branches into power lines. If you live in a neighborhood with a lot of old trees, you've probably experienced this firsthand.

AEP has been investing in smart grid technology and trimming vegetation more aggressively to reduce outages, but stuff still happens.

If you see a downed power line, stay far away from it and call immediately. Those lines can still be energized even when they're on the ground.

One tip: sign up for AEP Ohio's outage alerts. They'll text or email you when there's an outage affecting your address and give you updates on restoration. Beats refreshing their website every five minutes.

Here are the numbers you'll need.

For anything to do with your AEP Ohio service - outages, billing questions, efficiency rebates - call 1-800-672-2231. Their website at aepohio.com handles most account stuff, and aepohio.com/save has info on their efficiency programs.

If you're in the Clean Energy Columbus program and have questions, check cleanenergycolumbus.org or call the city at 311.

Want to compare suppliers? The official tool is PUCO's Apples to Apples site at energychoice.ohio.gov. That's where you'll find every licensed supplier and their current rates.

Having a problem with a supplier and getting nowhere? PUCO takes complaints at 1-800-686-7826. The Ohio Consumers' Counsel (1-877-742-5622) offers free help navigating utility issues too. They're advocates for residential customers and genuinely useful if you're stuck.

If you're struggling to pay your bills, the Community Action Agency of Franklin County handles HEAP energy assistance applications for the Columbus area.