Ohio Electricity Rates: Critical June 2026 Increase Guide

By The Utility Search Marketplace Team · 20+ years in consumer home services. Last updated: June 1, 2026.

p>Ohio electricity rates went up on June 1, 2026. If you are a Duke Energy Ohio, AES Ohio, or FirstEnergy Ohio customer and you have never picked a competitive supplier, your default supply rate just reset higher. This guide breaks down the new Ohio electricity rates by utility, explains what is driving them, and shows the five-minute switch that can put a lower rate on your bill — plus a quick move to sort out your home internet while you are at it.

What just changed with Ohio electricity rates

The “Price to Compare” is the rate you pay for the generation (supply) portion of your electricity if you do not choose an independent retail supplier. It is your benchmark — the number you measure competitive offers against. On June 1, 2026, that benchmark moved up for the three major Ohio utilities.

Because Ohio is an Energy Choice state, you are not stuck with the default rate. You can compare certified suppliers and lock in a fixed plan. Your utility still delivers the power and maintains the grid; only the supply rate on your bill changes. It is the same shopping principle used across the deregulated electricity states.

The June 1, 2026 Ohio electricity rates by utility

Here are the confirmed residential increases that took effect June 1, 2026:

• Duke Energy Ohio: Price to Compare rose from 10.0819¢ to 10.7016¢ per kWh — a little over 6%. For a home using 1,000 kWh a month, that is roughly $6.20 more on the supply line.
• AES Ohio (formerly Dayton Power & Light): standard offer rose roughly 15%, potentially adding $10 to $20 a month to a typical bill.
• FirstEnergy Ohio (The Illuminating Company, Ohio Edison, Toledo Edison): residential supply rates rose nearly 11% to 14%. The Illuminating Company’s main supply component rose from 8.9078¢ to 10.1386¢, Ohio Edison to 10.0253¢, and Toledo Edison to 10.1870¢ per kWh.

The increases are driven by the same regional forces hitting the whole PJM grid: record-high capacity costs, surging demand from new data centers, and ongoing grid-reliability investment. These pressures are pushing up electric rates across the country in 2026.

How to switch and lower your Ohio electricity rates

Ohio’s Energy Choice program makes this straightforward:

• Find your Price to Compare. It is on your bill and your utility’s website. Note the number for your specific utility.
• Compare certified supplier offers. Look for a fixed-rate plan below your Price to Compare. Compare the full terms — contract length, early termination fee, and fixed vs. variable.
• Enroll. The switch is paperwork only. Your utility keeps delivering power; there is no interruption and no new equipment. The new rate takes effect at your next meter read, typically within five business days to one billing cycle.
• Lock before the next reset. A fixed-rate contract protects you from the next round of increases.

You can compare certified suppliers for every Ohio utility territory through the state’s official Energy Choice Ohio marketplace.

Cheaper power, then sort your internet

Here is a move most Ohio households miss. Once you have locked in a lower electricity rate, you have already done the hard part — you have proven that shopping your home services pays off. The same logic applies to your internet.

Ohio’s fiber map is expanding fast. Spectrum recently announced new rural fiber buildouts across Southeastern Ohio, and providers across Columbus, Cincinnati, and Cleveland are competing harder than they have in years. That competition means there is a real chance you are overpaying for a plan that is slower than what is now available at your address. Our guide to internet providers in Columbus, Ohio shows how much the local market has shifted.

So while you are already in “sort out my home bills” mode after switching electricity:

• Check what internet is actually available at your address. Availability changes block by block as fiber rolls out, so a plan that was not an option last year may be now.
• Compare speed against price. Do not just renew. A new fiber entrant on your street often forces every provider’s pricing down.
• Bundle if it genuinely saves. Sometimes pairing services lowers the combined bill — but only run the math, never assume.

Turn on the lights at a better price first, then take five more minutes to make sure your internet is not the next line item quietly overcharging you.

Ohio electricity rates FAQ

What are the new Ohio electricity rates as of June 2026?

As of June 1, 2026, Duke Energy Ohio’s residential Price to Compare is 10.7016¢/kWh (up about 6%), AES Ohio rose roughly 15%, and FirstEnergy Ohio utilities rose 11% to 14% — with The Illuminating Company at 10.1386¢, Ohio Edison at 10.0253¢, and Toledo Edison at 10.1870¢ per kWh for the main residential supply component.

Why did my Ohio electricity rates go up in June 2026?

The June 2026 increases are driven by record-high PJM regional capacity costs, rising electricity demand from new data centers, and continued grid-reliability investment. These costs flow into the generation (supply) portion of your bill, which is the part the Price to Compare measures.

Can I avoid the higher Ohio electricity rates?

Yes. Ohio is an Energy Choice state, so you can compare certified suppliers and lock in a fixed-rate plan below your utility’s Price to Compare. Switching changes only your supplier, not your delivery or service reliability, and there is no interruption.

Does switching my electricity supplier affect my service or internet?

Switching your electricity supplier affects only the supply rate on your electric bill — your utility still delivers power with no interruption. It has no effect on your internet. But sorting your electricity is a good prompt to also compare internet plans at your address, since Ohio’s expanding fiber coverage may mean a faster or cheaper option is now available.

Sourcing note: Rate figures reflect Ohio utility Standard Service Offer / Price to Compare filings for the June 1, 2026 period. Figures are residential supply rates and exclude delivery charges, which vary by territory.