How electric rates in Ohio are set
Ohio separates generation from delivery. The utility (AEP Ohio, FirstEnergy's Ohio Edison, Illuminating Company and Toledo Edison, Duke Energy Ohio or AES Ohio) always delivers power and charges distribution and transmission. Generation comes either from the utility's standard service offer (SSO), the default rate for customers who do not shop, set from competitive wholesale auctions plus approved riders, or from a supplier or aggregation.[oh_puco] The PUCO publishes "Apples to Apples" charts that list supplier offers next to each utility's standard service price, the figure to beat.[oh_a2a]
- Standard service offer: what you pay for generation if you do nothing; the "price to compare" is the benchmark for weighing supplier offers against it.[oh_puco]
- Supplier contract: fixed or variable price per kWh for a term, sometimes with a monthly fee or early termination fee.
Best electric rates in Ohio: what shoppers paid in 2024
2,984,598 Ohio homes bought generation from a supplier or aggregation in 2024. Their supply cost averaged 7.34¢ per kWh, and the utilities' delivery charges for those homes averaged 8.26¢, about 15.60¢ all-in. Homes on utility full service paid 17.18¢.[eia861] So shoppers paid about 1.58¢ per kWh less on average; the best electric rates in Ohio still come from checking each offer against the current standard service price on the Apples to Apples chart.
| Provider type | Customers | ¢/kWh | kWh/mo | Bill/mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Competitive suppliers, supply only (all combined) | 3,005,826 | 7.34¢ | 760 | $55.73 |
| Utility delivery for shopping customers | 2,984,598 | 8.26¢ | 829 | $68.49 |
| Utility full service (default supply) | 1,439,502 | 17.18¢ | 844 | $144.95 |
| Electric cooperatives | 301,883 | 16.22¢ | 1,112 | $180.27 |
| Municipal utilities | 236,464 | 13.20¢ | 668 | $88.17 |
Delivery charges by utility
Delivery is the part of the bill you cannot shop. In 2024 the average delivery revenue per kWh from shopping customers was 10.75¢ at Ohio Power (AEP Ohio), 7.30¢ at Ohio Edison, 7.81¢ at Cleveland Electric Illuminating, 7.81¢ at Duke Energy Ohio and 5.97¢ at Dayton Power & Light (AES Ohio).[eia861] Add your utility's delivery charges to any supplier price before comparing.
| Utility | Service | Customers | ¢/kWh | kWh/mo | Bill/mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio Power Co | Delivery only | 788,464 | 10.75¢ | 866 | $93.10 |
| Ohio Edison Co | Delivery only | 706,029 | 7.30¢ | 827 | $60.42 |
| Ohio Power Co | Full service | 550,768 | 19.33¢ | 898 | $173.55 |
| Cleveland Electric Illum Co | Delivery only | 544,728 | 7.81¢ | 684 | $53.42 |
| Duke Energy Ohio Inc | Delivery only | 399,351 | 7.81¢ | 904 | $70.55 |
| Dayton Power & Light Co | Delivery only | 346,219 | 5.97¢ | 923 | $55.16 |
| Duke Energy Ohio Inc | Full service | 294,084 | 15.00¢ | 888 | $133.28 |
| Ohio Edison Co | Full service | 251,751 | 16.18¢ | 786 | $127.09 |
Ohio electricity price by month
The Ohio average was 18.41¢ over Sep 2025–Aug 2026 against 16.49¢ in Sep 2024–Aug 2025; in August 2026 it was 19.38¢ and the average bill $199.46.[eia861m]
Ohio U.S. average
| Month | ¢/kWh | Year earlier | Change | kWh/home | Avg bill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 2026 | 19.38¢ | 17.55¢ | +10.4% | 1,029 | $199.46 |
| July 2026 | 19.45¢ | 17.34¢ | +12.2% | 1,151 | $223.76 |
| June 2026 | 19.19¢ | 17.46¢ | +9.9% | 869 | $166.80 |
| May 2026 | 19.52¢ | 17.05¢ | +14.5% | 675 | $131.81 |
| April 2026 | 19.49¢ | 16.28¢ | +19.7% | 642 | $125.24 |
| March 2026 | 18.78¢ | 16.06¢ | +16.9% | 765 | $143.64 |
| February 2026 | 17.61¢ | 15.76¢ | +11.7% | 980 | $172.62 |
| January 2026 | 17.59¢ | 15.55¢ | +13.1% | 1,110 | $195.23 |
| December 2025 | 17.25¢ | 15.88¢ | +8.6% | 992 | $171.08 |
| November 2025 | 17.61¢ | 16.47¢ | +6.9% | 764 | $134.59 |
| October 2025 | 17.77¢ | 16.57¢ | +7.2% | 648 | $115.09 |
| September 2025 | 17.53¢ | 15.75¢ | +11.3% | 749 | $131.38 |
Ohio ranks 18 of 51 for residential price. Compare with electric rates in PA and electricity rates Illinois, or every state on electricity rates by state. Gas is the other big Ohio utility bill; see the average gas bill by state.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average electric rate in Ohio?
18.41¢ per kWh for homes over Sep 2025–Aug 2026 (EIA), 19.38¢ in August 2026.
What is the price to compare in Ohio?
Your utility's standard service generation price, shown on your bill and on the PUCO Apples to Apples chart. Supplier offers should be compared with it.
How many Ohio homes use a supplier?
2,984,598 in 2024, 58% of residential customers (EIA-861), including aggregation programs.
Why does my Ohio bill have two companies?
The utility delivers the power; a supplier or aggregation provides the generation. Both charges appear on the utility bill.
Sources
- How are electric generation rates set? (standard service offer from competitive wholesale auctions; price to compare)
- Energy Choice Ohio: Apples to Apples comparison charts
- Monthly Electric Utility Sales and Revenue Data (Form EIA-861M), by state and sector, data through August 2026 (sales_revenue.xlsx)
- Annual Electric Power Industry Report (Form EIA-861), 2024 data: Sales to Ultimate Customers by utility, state and service type