How to Switch Electricity Providers in Ohio: Price to Compare, Apples to Apples and Your Rights

To switch electricity providers in Ohio, find the "Price to Compare" on your utility bill, compare supplier offers on the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio's Apples to Apples chart at Energy Choice Ohio, call the supplier you pick to sign up, and watch for your utility's confirmation letter. You then have seven days from the letter's postmark date to stop the switch, and your utility keeps delivering your power either way.

Who regulates Ohio electric choice and where to compare

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) certifies competitive suppliers and runs Energy Choice Ohio at energychoice.ohio.gov. The site's Apples to Apples chart lets you "easily compare prices, contract terms and other plan differences" (Energy Choice Ohio). You can reach PUCO at (800) 686-PUCO and file complaints through the commission's help center.

The Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel (OCC), the state's residential utility consumer advocate, also publishes shopping guidance (OCC).

How electric choice works in Ohio

Your electric service is split into two parts. Your local utility provides distribution service, meaning the wires and meter, and it still delivers your power and bills you for that service even if you buy from a supplier (OCC). The supply part, the electricity itself, is what you can shop for.

If you do not shop, you stay on your utility's default supply rate, called the standard service offer. The OCC notes that the utilities' standard offers are based on competitive auctions (OCC). Choice is optional; you are never required to switch.

Part of your service	Who provides it after you switch
Electricity supply (generation)	The certified supplier you choose
Delivery: wires, meter, outage repair	Your local utility (unchanged)
Delivery charges	Your local utility, regulated by PUCO
Default supply if you never shop	Your utility's standard service offer

Understand your Price to Compare

Energy Choice Ohio tells shoppers to "find your Price to Compare on your utility bill" and use it as the benchmark against offers on the Apples to Apples chart. Because the Price to Compare "is made up of several different factors it can vary from month-to-month," so review a few recent bills to estimate your average (Energy Choice Ohio).

To save money, a supplier's price per kWh generally needs to be below your Price to Compare for the months you will be on the contract. Remember that the Price to Compare can change, so a fixed offer that beats it today might not beat it every month.

Contract terms to check before you sign

The OCC recommends asking these questions about any offer (OCC):

• Is the rate fixed, variable or a "teaser"? An introductory price may change after a few months.
• Is there an early termination fee? Check both the new offer and your current contract before switching.
• Does the contract renew automatically? The OCC warns about "evergreen" contracts that automatically renew, sometimes at much higher prices.
• How does it compare with the standard service offer and any local aggregation rate?

Not sure which plan type suits you? Read our guide to fixed vs variable electricity plans.

Government aggregation in Ohio

Many Ohio communities buy electricity for residents as a group. The OCC notes that "most government aggregation in Ohio is 'opt-out,'" which means residents are enrolled automatically unless they decline (OCC). If your community runs an aggregation program, compare its rate with the standard service offer and with supplier offers on Apples to Apples. You may already be on an aggregation rate without having signed up yourself, so check the supplier name on your bill.

Your seven-day rescission period

After you sign up, your utility mails a confirmation letter. If the information is correct, you do nothing. If it is not correct, contact the utility and ask for the switch to be stopped. Energy Choice Ohio says: "You have seven days from the postmark date of the letter to make any changes" (Energy Choice Ohio). The OCC describes this as a grace period of seven days to cancel the contract after you receive the utility's confirmation notice (OCC).

Is switching worth it in Ohio?

Ohio has one of the most active choice markets in the country. EIA found that participation among eligible Ohio customers rose from 45% in 2015 to 50% in 2021, which includes households served through community aggregation (EIA). Popular does not automatically mean cheaper, though. A 2019 EIA analysis found that, nationally, residential customers had generally paid more per kilowatt-hour through competitive suppliers than through their utilities (EIA). The safest approach is to treat your Price to Compare as the bar every offer must clear, month after month, for the full contract term.

Also keep the size of the opportunity in perspective. Switching only changes the supply portion of your bill; delivery charges stay with your utility. If a supplier's price is a fraction of a cent below your Price to Compare, the monthly difference may be small, and an early termination fee or monthly charge can wipe it out. Multiply the price difference by your typical monthly kWh to see the real dollar amount before you decide.

What to have ready before you call a supplier

• A recent utility bill showing your service address, your Price to Compare and your usage history.
• Your average monthly kWh, plus your highest-use month (often summer or winter).
• The end date and any early termination fee from your current supplier or aggregation contract.
• A list of questions: Is the price fixed or variable? How long is the term? What fees apply? What happens at renewal?

Write down the name of the representative, the date, and the price you were quoted. That makes it easier to check the contract and the utility's confirmation letter against what you were told.

Step-by-step checklist: switching electricity suppliers in Ohio

1. Find your Price to Compare on your last few utility bills and note your monthly kWh usage.
2. Check your current status. See whether you already have a supplier or an aggregation rate, and whether that contract has an end date or early termination fee.
3. Open the Apples to Apples chart on energychoice.ohio.gov and select your utility.
4. Shortlist offers by price, contract length, fees and whether the rate is fixed or variable.
5. Call the supplier or use its website to enroll. Energy Choice Ohio notes that the supplier contacts your utility for you.
6. Read the full contract, including terms on renewal and cancellation. Energy Choice Ohio advises you to "carefully read and understand all of the terms and conditions."
7. Watch for the utility's confirmation letter. Confirm the supplier name and terms. If anything is wrong, call the utility within seven days of the postmark.
8. Check your first bill to confirm the new supplier and price appear.
9. Mark your contract end date and compare offers again before renewal.

Red flags

• Door-to-door and in-store sales. The OCC "advises against buying energy from a marketer during a door-to-door sale or at an in-store promotion" (OCC).
• A salesperson who suggests they work for your utility.
• A low introductory rate with no clear price for the rest of the term.
• Automatic renewal terms you have not read.
• A confirmation letter for a switch you never agreed to. Contact your utility and PUCO right away.

Next steps

Compare your Price to Compare with typical costs on our Ohio electricity rates page, see how the state stacks up on the average electric bill page, and use the electric bill calculator to estimate what a supplier's price would mean for your monthly bill.