Ohio PIPP Plus Program: Cut Your Electric Bill

PIPP Plus stands for Percentage of Income Payment Plan Plus. It is an Ohio-specific electric and natural gas bill assistance program administered through the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) under the Ohio Development Services Agency (ODSA). The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) requires Ohio's electric utilities to offer PIPP Plus as a customer protection, so it is available across every major service territory in the state.

Instead of paying the full amount on your electric bill each month, an enrolled household pays a set percentage of its gross monthly income. The portion of the bill above that payment is either reduced or rolled into a forgiveness credit that shrinks the household's past-due balance over time, as long as on-time payments continue. The result is a bill that reflects what a household can actually afford.

The core mechanics are straightforward. An enrolled customer pays a fixed percentage of gross monthly household income toward the electric bill. For electric service, that percentage is generally 6 percent of gross monthly income. For households with both electric and gas bills enrolled, the combined percentage is split between the two utilities.

Each month a customer makes the required payment on time, the utility applies a credit that reduces any remaining balance. Over time, consistent on-time payments can eliminate a large past-due amount entirely. Miss a payment, and the forgiveness credits pause, though re-enrollment is typically possible.

One thing worth understanding: PIPP Plus governs what you pay toward supply and delivery combined, but your underlying supply rate still matters. Ohio is a deregulated state, which means residential customers in most service territories can choose a competitive supplier rather than staying on the utility's Standard Service Offer (SSO). The SSO rate (called the Price to Compare on your bill) is the benchmark. As of July 2026, those default supply rates range from roughly 9.3 cents per kWh (Ohio Edison territory) to 10.7 cents per kWh (AEP Ohio territory). Competitive suppliers in some territories currently offer rates as low as 7.6 cents per kWh. A lower supply rate means a lower underlying bill, which can work in tandem with PIPP Plus. You can review live competitive rates at our Ohio electricity rates page.

Eligibility is based on household income relative to the federal poverty guidelines. Generally, a household must have gross annual income at or below 175 percent of the federal poverty level to qualify. Exact thresholds shift slightly each year when the federal poverty guidelines are updated, so the most current numbers are maintained by ODSA and accessible through local Community Action Agencies.

A few other requirements apply:

Active Ohio utility account. The account must be in the applicant's name with one of the participating Ohio utilities: AEP Ohio, Duke Energy Ohio, AES Ohio, Ohio Edison, Toledo Edison, or The Illuminating Company.

Residence in Ohio. The program serves Ohioans only.

Social Security numbers for all household members are typically required during the application.

Homeowners and renters both qualify. The program does not require a minimum past-due balance. A household that is current on its bill but income-eligible can still enroll and begin building forgiveness credits going forward.

Applications for PIPP Plus run through Ohio's HEAP system. The two main paths are:

1. Local Community Action Agency (CAA). Every Ohio county is served by a CAA that processes HEAP and PIPP Plus applications. Applicants bring proof of income (pay stubs, benefit award letters, tax returns), a recent utility bill, and identification. Agency staff walk through the paperwork and can often process enrollment quickly.

2. Online through energyhelp.ohio.gov. Ohio's online HEAP portal allows eligible residents to apply from home. The site is maintained by ODSA and connects directly to utility enrollment systems.

Enrollment periods for HEAP and PIPP Plus open each fall, typically in late October or November, though PIPP Plus re-enrollment can happen at other points in the year. Because slots and funding can be limited, applying early in the open season is advisable.

For questions about eligibility or to find your local CAA, the Ohio Benefit Bank (obtainbenefits.org) and the ODSA website are the authoritative sources. ElectricRates.org also maintains a state resource directory at our Ohio page for quick reference.

Because Ohio's electric utilities are regulated separately by the PUCO, the mechanics of PIPP Plus are consistent statewide, but customers interact with their own utility for billing and credits. Here is a quick reference for the state's major electric utilities and their current default supply rates (Standard Service Offer, as of July 2026):

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

Customers enrolled in PIPP Plus in higher-rate territories, such as AEP Ohio, have the most to gain from also shopping a competitive supplier, since a lower supply rate reduces the gross bill from which PIPP Plus credits are calculated. Ohio's state comparison tool, Energy Choice Ohio (Apples to Apples), maintained by the PUCO, lets shoppers compare certified competitive supplier offers side by side.

Ohio deregulated its electricity market, which means most residential customers can choose who supplies their electricity. The utility still delivers it, and the wires, poles, and reliability stay under the utility's control. But the supply portion of the bill, the commodity itself, can come from a PUCO-certified competitive supplier.

For a PIPP Plus participant, this interaction matters. Because the monthly payment is a percentage of income, the absolute dollar value of the bill does not change the payment. However, if a competitive supplier's lower rate reduces the total bill, fewer forgiveness credits are needed to close the gap, which can accelerate balance elimination.

There are important cautions. Some competitive suppliers require fixed-term contracts with early termination fees. Variable-rate offers can spike unexpectedly. PIPP Plus participants should look specifically for month-to-month or short-term fixed-rate offers with no termination fees, and should verify that switching to a competitive supplier does not jeopardize their PIPP Plus enrollment. Calling the utility or the local CAA before switching is a reasonable step. The PUCO's Energy Choice Ohio Apples to Apples comparison tool shows which offers are currently active in each territory.

PIPP Plus is the flagship ongoing payment assistance program, but it is not the only option for struggling Ohio households.

HEAP Winter Crisis Program. Runs from November through March and provides one-time electric or gas assistance to households facing disconnection or coming off an extended medical certificate. Income limits are the same as standard HEAP.

HEAP Summer Crisis Program. Active from July through August, this program helps income-eligible households, particularly those with a household member who is 60 or older or has a documented medical condition, cover cooling costs, including central air conditioning repair or replacement in some cases.

Utility shut-off protections. The PUCO has rules governing when utilities can disconnect service, including winter moratorium provisions and protections for households with medical needs. Customers facing disconnection should contact their utility and their local CAA immediately. More detail on PUCO consumer protections is available at puco.ohio.gov.

For households not eligible for PIPP Plus, checking whether a competitive supplier can lower the underlying rate is often the most direct path to a smaller bill. Live rate comparisons for Ohio are available at ElectricRates.org.

If your household income is at or below 175 percent of the federal poverty level and you have an Ohio electric account, the most valuable thing you can do is contact your local Community Action Agency or visit energyhelp.ohio.gov before the HEAP enrollment season closes.

If your income is above the PIPP Plus threshold, or if you want to lower your bill in addition to enrolling in PIPP Plus, comparing competitive supply rates is a logical next step. The PUCO's Energy Choice Ohio Apples to Apples tool and ElectricRates.org both provide current certified offers. Default supply rates in Ohio range from about 9.3 to 10.7 cents per kWh as of July 2026, and competitive options in some territories currently reach as low as 7.6 cents per kWh. The spread is real money over a full year.

The combination of program enrollment and smart supplier selection is not complicated. It is just a matter of knowing the tools exist.