Ohio Energy Choice: Compare Rates & Switch Suppliers 2026

Ohio Energy Choice lets you pick who generates your electricity. Your utility still delivers it.

Ohio opened its electricity market in 1999 with Senate Bill 3.^[1] Since then, about 4.5 million Ohio households have had the option to shop for power. AEP Ohio, Duke Energy, and FirstEnergy still own the poles and wires. They read your meter. They fix outages. That part never changes. What changes is who produces your electricity and what you pay for it.

Here's the honest truth: most Ohio residents don't bother shopping. They pay the default rate and move on with their lives. But those who do shop often find rates 10-20% lower than the Standard Service Offer. That's real money back in your pocket each month.

Your Ohio electric bill has two parts. You can only shop for one of them.

The first part is delivery. This covers infrastructure: power lines, transformers, the truck that comes when your power goes out. PUCO sets these rates, and you pay the same delivery charge no matter which supplier you pick. There's no shopping here.

The second part is supply. This is the actual electricity generation. You can stick with your utility's Standard Service Offer rate, or you can choose a CRES (Competitive Retail Electric Service) provider.

Nothing physical changes when you switch. Same wires. Same meter. Same crew fixing outages at 2am. The only difference shows up on your bill: a new company name and (hopefully) a lower rate per kilowatt-hour.

PUCO is the state agency that keeps electricity suppliers honest. They're the reason you can shop with confidence.

Every company selling electricity in Ohio needs PUCO certification first.^[2] That means background checks, financial reviews, and ongoing compliance monitoring. PUCO also runs the Apples to Apples comparison website and handles consumer complaints. They've revoked licenses from bad actors before and they'll do it again.

If a supplier gives you trouble, call PUCO at 800-686-7826. They pick up the phone and investigate. I've seen them order refunds and I've seen them pull certifications. They're not just a rubber stamp.

Apples to Apples shows every certified supplier offer in Ohio. It's free and run by PUCO.

Go to energychoice.ohio.gov, pick your utility (AEP Ohio, Duke Energy Ohio, AES Ohio, or one of the FirstEnergy companies), and you'll see a list of plans. Each shows the price per kWh, contract length, cancellation fees, and green energy percentage. You can sort by price or filter for renewable options.

One caveat: Apples to Apples updates monthly. Some offers you see might already be gone. And the site doesn't calculate your actual savings. You'll need your current SSO rate from your bill to figure that out yourself. For faster comparisons, ElectricRates.org pulls real-time rates and does the math for you.

Switching takes five minutes. Seriously. I timed it once.

Grab your electricity bill. Find your account number and current rate. Then compare offers on Apples to Apples or ElectricRates.org. When you find a rate you like, enroll online or by phone. You need your account number, service address, and a form of ID.

After you enroll, your new supplier tells your utility. You don't have to call anyone else. The switch takes one to two billing cycles. Your lights stay on the whole time. No one comes to your house. Nothing changes except that line on your bill showing a lower rate from a different company.

Ohio has six main electric utilities. Where you live determines which one serves you.

AEP Ohio covers Columbus and most of central and southern Ohio. About 1.5 million customers.^[3] Duke Energy Ohio serves Cincinnati and the southwest corner. AES Ohio (used to be Dayton Power & Light) handles the Dayton area.

FirstEnergy runs three Ohio utilities. Ohio Edison serves Akron and northeast Ohio. Cleveland Electric Illuminating covers Greater Cleveland. Toledo Edison serves the northwest.

Each utility has its own SSO rate that changes through PUCO auctions. Your utility also determines which suppliers compete for your business.

Ohio electricity rates have two pieces: supply (what you shop for) and delivery (fixed).

The supply portion runs 5 to 8 cents per kWh depending on your utility and market conditions. That's your benchmark. Competitive suppliers might beat it or might not. Check before you assume.

Most suppliers offer two plan types. Fixed-rate plans lock your price for 6 to 36 months. Predictable bills, no surprises. Variable-rate plans change monthly based on wholesale markets. They sometimes start lower but can spike during hot summers or cold winters.

Watch out for monthly fees. A plan advertising 5.5 cents per kWh with a $9.99 monthly fee costs more than a 6.5 cent plan with no fee for most households. Do the math: divide any monthly fee by your average usage to find the true per-kWh cost.

Ohio law protects you when shopping for electricity. Know these rules.

Suppliers must disclose everything before you sign: rate per kWh, contract length, early termination fees. Get it in writing. Don't trust verbal promises.

You have 7 days to cancel any new supplier contract with no penalty. Changed your mind? Call them within that window and you're free.

Ohio bans "slamming" (switching you without permission) and "cramming" (sneaking charges onto your bill). These are illegal. Report violations to PUCO.

Important: your utility can't shut off your power because of a supplier dispute. PUCO investigates complaints and can order refunds. They have real teeth. Use them if you need to.