First-Time Electricity Switcher: Complete Checklist 2026

"Wait, I can choose my electricity company? Since when?"

Since 1999 in Ohio. Since 1996 in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. For over two decades, you've had this right. Most people just don't know.

Here's the part that confuses everyone: your utility doesn't change. AEP Ohio, PECO, Eversource—they still deliver electricity to your home. They maintain the power lines. They respond to outages. They read your meter. Same truck shows up when your power goes out.

What changes? Who generates your electricity and what you pay for that generation. That's it.

Delivery and supply are separate. Your utility handles delivery. You choose who handles supply. Same wires. Same service. Different company name on one line of your bill. Different rate.

Once that clicks, everything else makes sense.

Find your most recent electricity bill. You need four things from it:

1. Account number — Usually 10-20 digits on the first page. This identifies your service.

2. Current rate — Look in the "supply" or "generation" section. You're looking for cents per kWh.

3. Monthly usage — Listed in kWh. This helps you estimate savings.

4. Rate class — Usually "Residential" or "RS." Confirms you're getting residential rates.

Why gather this first? Because with this info in front of you, comparing plans takes five minutes. Without it, you'll spend thirty minutes hunting through paperwork mid-process.

Can't find your bill? Log into your utility's website. All this info lives in your account portal.

Some people discover they already have a supplier. Someone signed them up years ago. They forgot. Now they're wondering why they're paying 12 cents when the market rate is 6.

Check the supply charges section of your bill.

If your utility's name appears: You're on default service. You can switch without penalty.

If another company's name appears: You already have a supplier contract. Before shopping, check your contract end date and early termination fees.

How to check: Call the supplier or log into their portal. The contract terms are there.

Why this matters: Switching from one supplier to another mid-contract might trigger a $50-200 cancellation fee. Switching from default service to a supplier? No fee. Ever.

Official comparison tools:

Ohio: Apples to Apples
Pennsylvania: PAPowerSwitch
Massachusetts: State utility comparison sites
All states: ElectricRates.org

What to compare:
- Price per kWh (the big number)
- Contract term (6, 12, 24 months)
- Monthly fees (some add $5-10)
- Fixed vs variable rate

Quick math: Multiply the rate by your monthly kWh. That's your estimated supply cost.

Example: 6.5¢ × 1,000 kWh = $65/month for supply.

The warning: Stick with official sites and licensed comparison tools. Door-to-door salespeople aren't always honest about what they're selling. If someone shows up on your porch with a clipboard, tell them you'll research it yourself.

That 4.9¢ rate looks amazing. Until you read the fine print.

Hidden fees to check:
- Monthly service fees ($4.95 adds $60/year)
- Minimum usage charges (penalizes low users)
- "Base charges" buried in the contract

Fixed vs variable:
- Fixed = same rate for your entire contract. No surprises.
- Variable = changes monthly with the market. Can spike in summer.

Contract terms that matter:
- Early termination fee (usually $50-200)
- What happens at contract end (auto-renew? variable rollover?)
- Renewal notification (do they warn you?)

The auto-renewal trap: Some suppliers auto-renew you at rates much higher than your original contract. That 6¢ rate becomes 12¢ overnight because you missed a notice.

Read the terms. Not the marketing page. The actual terms of service. This is where surprises hide.

Takes two minutes. Prevents months of problems.

Official verification:
- Ohio: PUCO certified list at puco.ohio.gov
- Pennsylvania: PA PUC licensed suppliers at puc.pa.gov
- Massachusetts: DPU licensed supplier database

Type the company name into the official database. If they're not there, they're not legitimate.

Extra checks:
- BBB rating
- Online reviews (ignore the 5-star fluff, read the 2-3 star complaints)
- Ask for their license number directly

Red flags:
- Door-to-door salespeople not listed on official comparison sites
- Phone solicitations with too-good-to-be-true rates
- Reluctance to provide a license number
- Pressure to sign immediately

Legitimate suppliers welcome verification. They expect it. They'll give you their license number without hesitation. Companies that dodge? Walk away.

What you need:
- Utility account number
- Service address
- Personal info (name, SSN for verification)

What happens:
1. Choose your plan and start date (usually 1-2 billing cycles out)
2. Review terms one more time (rate, length, fees, cancellation)
3. Submit

What happens next:
- Confirmation email or letter within a few days
- Your service continues uninterrupted
- The new supplier coordinates with your utility automatically
- You don't need to call anyone or cancel anything

Important: Save your confirmation email. You'll reference it when your first bill with the new supplier arrives.

That's it. The whole process is less exciting than everyone expects. No technician visit. No service interruption. Just a different company name and rate on your next bill.

What to watch for:
1. Confirmation from new supplier (few days)
2. Switch notification from your utility
3. First bill showing new supplier (1-2 billing cycles)

When that first bill arrives:
- Check that the rate matches your contract
- Compare total cost to your old bills
- If something looks wrong, call the supplier immediately

The step 95% of people skip:

Set a calendar reminder for 60-90 days before your contract ends.

Seriously. Do it now. Because in 12 months, you won't remember when your contract expires. You'll get auto-renewed at a higher rate. You'll open a bill that makes you swear. And you'll wish you'd spent thirty seconds setting a reminder.

Future you will thank present you. I promise.