PUCO Reminds Ohioans of Their Choices as Energy Consumers

COLUMBUS, OHIO (Jan. 17, 2019) – For more than 100 years, energy in Ohio — electricity and natural gas — has been regulated by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO). The PUCO wants to remind Ohio consumers that there are options when deciding about the energy supply that best suits your home or business.

Prior to the ability to choose your energy supplier, rates and services provided by the electric and natural gas utilities were set and regulated by the PUCO. Now, and for the past decade, consumers have the option to shop from a PUCO-certified supplier for their electricity or natural gas. The PUCO plays an important role by ensuring that there is a fair, competitive market and by providing necessary information, tools, and resources that Ohioans need to make educated choices.

The PUCO reminds consumers to be aware of a few important facts about energy choice in Ohio.

  • The local utility will continue to deliver your electricity or natural gas, respond to outages and maintain the poles, pipes, and wires associated with the delivery of your energy.
  • The ability to shop for alternative suppliers of electricity and natural gas gives you a greater variety of pricing options and gives you the freedom to pick the option that is best for your home or business.
  • When shopping, make sure to read your current bill and contract to look for things like price-to-compare, usage, applicable termination fees, and the contract’s expiration date.

The PUCO’s Energy Choice Ohio website has helpful tools available to assist your shopping experience at www.energychoice.ohio.gov. There you will find things like the Apples to Apples comparison charts, frequently asked questions and a form to request a speaker for your next group meeting. Additionally, new user-friendly and interactive electric choice switch rate dashboards are now available on the PUCO website. Dashboards for natural gas switch rates will arrive later this year.

For more information, please visit www.energychoice.ohio.gov or www.PUCO.ohio.gov, or call the PUCO Call Center at (800) 686-PUCO (7826).