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How to read your Ohio electric bill
Your electric bill answers three questions, once you know where to look: who supplies your electricity, what rate you pay, and whether that rate is a good deal. The numbered markers on this sample bill match the six steps below — grab your real bill and follow along.
Know that one bill = two companies
In Ohio, the company that delivers electricity (your utility) and the company that sellsit to you (your supplier) can be different. They share one bill. You can't change the utility — but you can shop for the supplier, and that's where the savings live.
On the bill, look for: your utility's name at the top, and — if you have a supplier — a second company name further down.
Find your supplier
If you see a company name that isn't your utility — that's your supplier. If that section only shows your utility's name, you never chose a supplier: you're on the default Standard Service Offer, paying the Price to Compare rate (step 5).
Not sure you ever signed up with anyone? That's common — some people were switched years ago by a door-to-door offer or a community program and forgot. The bill tells the truth.
On the bill, look for: a section called “Supplier,” “Supply charges,” or “Generation charges,” with a company name in it.
Find your rate — the most important number on the bill
Your rate is what you actually pay for each kilowatt-hour. On the sample, it's $0.0699 — about 7 cents. Write yours down; every comparison starts with this number.
Careful: the rate is sometimes buried mid-sentence or shown only as the math (usage × rate = charge). If you only see the total, divide the supply charge by your kWh to get it.
On the bill, look for: a price per kWh, like “$0.0699 per kWh” or “6.99¢/kWh,” usually printed right in the supply line.
Find your usage
Usage is how much electricity you used — 892 kWh on the sample. The 12-month chart matters more than one month: it shows your yearly total, which is what decides whether a plan with a monthly fee is really cheaper for you.
On the bill, look for: a kWh number for this billing period, and often a 12-month bar chart of your history.
Compare your rate to the Price to Compare
The Price to Compare is the utility's default rate — your yardstick. If your supplier rate (step 3) is aboveit, you're paying more than doing nothing would cost, and it's time to shop. Below it? You're ahead — the question is just whether another offer beats it.
The PTC changes during the year, so a deal that beat it last winter might not beat it now.
On the bill, look for: a printed message with the words “Price to Compare” — Ohio utilities are required to show it.
Skip the delivery charges
Delivery charges pay for wires and meters, and they're identical no matter which supplier you choose. When you compare offers, ignore this whole section — a supplier promising to lower it isn't being straight with you.
On the bill, look for: a section with your utility's name: meter charges, distribution, riders.
Before you switch anything
- Check your current contract's end date and exit fee. Leaving a fixed contract early can trigger an early termination fee that eats the savings.
- In a community aggregation program? If your city or county buys electricity for residents as a group, you may lose that rate — and have to wait for the next enrollment window to rejoin. Check with your community first.
- Read the offer's fine print — intro rates that jump later, monthly fees, and variable rates can undo a low headline number.
Rather not dig through it yourself?
Snap a photo of your electric billand MeterMiser reads it for you — your supplier, rate, and usage, pre-filled in seconds. You review every value before it's saved. Then we watch the market and tell you when a better deal shows up. Free to start, and we never sell your information or take money from suppliers.
Struggling to pay the bill rather than shopping it? Every Ohio assistance program, in one place →
Words you'll see on your bill
- Utility
- The company that owns the wires and delivers electricity to your home (AEP Ohio, Ohio Edison, Duke, and so on). You can't choose this company — it's set by where you live.
- Supplier
- The company that sells you the electricity itself. In Ohio you CAN choose this one. Its charges show up on the same bill your utility sends.
- kWh (kilowatt-hour)
- The unit electricity is measured in. One kWh runs a typical microwave for about an hour. Your rate is a price per kWh.
- Supply charges
- The part of the bill that pays for the electricity you used — your usage times your supplier's rate. This is the shoppable part.
- Delivery charges
- The part that pays the utility for wires, meters, and repairs. Identical no matter which supplier you pick, so ignore it when comparing offers.
- Price to Compare (PTC)
- The utility's own default supply rate, printed on your bill. It's your yardstick: a supplier offer below it saves you money, one above it costs you.
- Standard Service Offer (SSO)
- What you're on if you never picked a supplier — the utility's default supply at the Price to Compare rate. Nothing is wrong with it; it's just not always the best deal.
- Fixed vs. variable rate
- A fixed rate stays the same for the whole contract term. A variable rate can change every month — often low at first, higher later.
- Early termination fee (ETF)
- What a supplier charges if you leave a fixed contract before it ends. Found in the supplier's contract terms, not usually on the bill.
- Rider
- A small line-item charge or credit the utility is allowed to pass through, listed in the delivery section. Not something you can shop.
Every utility arranges its bill a little differently — the sample above is a teaching diagram, not any company's actual bill. The pieces shown are on yours, even if they're in different spots or use slightly different words. This guide is general information, not financial advice; always confirm rates and terms with a supplier before signing anything.