The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) regulates providers of utility services in the state of Ohio as a consumer protector. PUCO oversees electric and natural gas companies, plus local and long distance telephone companies, water and wastewater companies, and rail and trucking companies.
Ohio electricity deregulation has been in place since 2001. So why, if it’s deregulated, is there still a need for a regulatory agency? Great question, and we’re going to answer it.
What are the Responsibilities of PUCO?
The PUCO has 5 main responsibilities:
- Ensure that all Certified Retail Electric Suppliers (CRES) behave responsibly, and in the best interests of Ohio citizens.
- Help you resolve any disputes between you and your electric supplier.
- Ensure that the Ohio electricity grid provides safe and reliable services to all consumers.
- Review and approve utility rates. They review both the delivery rates and “standard service offer rates” (SSO) for each utility.
- Maintain the EnergyChoice Ohio website, including the PUCO apples to apples electric page to help you compare rates.
But for most consumers, their biggest role is in managing the apples to apples Ohio shopping site.
PUCO Apples to Apples Ohio Shopping Site
Apples to Apples Ohio, also known as Energy Choice Ohio or EnergyChoice.Ohio.gov, is a state-run electricity rate comparison site run by the Public Utility Commission of Ohio. You can select your utility company on the website and view a list of electricity suppliers that are offering deals in your area.
It’s a great resource but has limited search capabilities. For example, you can’t search by zip code, which makes things difficult if you’re new to the area and don’t know your utility.
As a state-run resource, there’s also no screening or evaluation of offers. Every certified electric supplier can list their plans, regardless of their customer service, reputation, longevity in the market or complaints.
That’s why we created ElectricityPlans.com.
Why Shop for Ohio Electricity?
Electricity deregulation in Ohio started in January 2001 with the implementation of the Ohio Energy Choice program. The structure of the market is why you should shop for an electricity supplier.
Utilities set their prices based on a series of auctions where they purchase power. Their rates change typically 2-4 times annually. When you take the utility standard service offer, also called the price to compare, you have no stability in your electricity bill.
When you shop for an Ohio electric supplier, you can lock in a fixed rate electricity plan for your electricity. Suppliers shop for power in the forward markets, something your utility can’t do.
Shopping for Ohio electricity gives you price certainty and rate stability. That lets you better manage your budget.
Read more: Learn How to Shop for an Electric Supplier in Ohio
Your Electricity Price to Compare
You can choose your electricity supplier if you live in any of these utility markets:
- Duke Energy Ohio
- AEP Ohio (Columbus Southern and Ohio Power)
- First Energy (Ohio Edison, Toledo Edison, and The Illuminating Company)
- AES Ohio (formerly Dayton Power & Light)
Each utility has a standard service offer (SSO) which is the default price you pay for your electricity supply if you choose not to shop. You can find the current price to compare for your utility with these methods:
- Check the EnergyChoice.Ohio.gov site.
- Look at your
- Reference the utility pages listed above; we maintain a price to compare rate history for each utility.
- Shop online at ElectrictyPlans.com/Ohio. We display the utility price to compare for easy comparison shopping.
The price to compare is subject to change every month based on the utility’s Standard Service Offer rates for the applicable time period and changes in usage patterns.
If you want to learn more about the SSO, you can read more with this article on Understanding Ohio Price to Compare.
What Else Does PUCO Do?
The core mission of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio is to ensure that all businesses and residential customers have access to safe, reliable and competitively priced utilities.
Along with rates, prices and quality, PUCO:
- Oversees service availability for business, residential and industrial customers.
- Helps break up state monopolies that could lead to inflated prices.
- Supports the state’s utility infrastructure, both through policy development and ongoing improvements.
- Ensures that you can get from point A to point B safely by conducting rail and motor carrier inspections, improving roadway visibility and educating all related agencies.
- Mediates disputes that arise between customers and utility providers, as well as among the utility providers themselves.
- Provides information about the state’s utilities to both state and federal agencies.
Take the Next Step – Use Your Energy Choice
Now that you know the role that PUCO plays, understand Energy Choice Ohio and why shopping is important, it’s time to take that next step..
Most consumers are looking for an electricity plan that will beat the price to compare rate, as shown on their bill. Or maybe you just want to have the price certainty that comes with having a fixed rate plan. Or maybe you prefer green energy.
ElectricityPlans.com works to give you all the information you need to make your informed decision.
Enter your zip code to start shopping today.