Electricity choice is pushing prices down for the majority of residences in Ohio. Several years ago Ohio passed energy restructuring laws that allowed for competitive electricity in the state’s largest utility service areas. Those laws are now paying dividends as the number of electricity companies offering service in Ohio is increasing, as well as the number of participating energy shoppers.

The biggest electricity service area in Ohio is AEP, which includes Ohio Power and Columbus Southern Power. The utility serves over one million residential electricity customers, of which 25% are currently buying their power from a competitive energy supplier. Those who have taken the time to compare AEP Ohio electricity prices have been able to substantially reduce their electric bills. The savings have been significant reaching as high as 17% versus the AEP Ohio price to compare default rate.

As the Ohio electricity choice market continues to mature consumers can expect to see falling prices. The state is seeing the number of energy companies offering service to Ohio residences increase, giving customers more product options and lower rates. The switch percentage is above 70% for some of Ohio’s service utility areas, showing that the people of Ohio have accepted and welcomed electricity choice.

Below are competitive rates for Ohio Power and Columbus Southern Power, all prices are updated daily.

September 18, 2013

Already one of the most successful electricity choice markets in the country, Pennsylvania could get a boost in their number of power shopping customers due to recent utility rate increases. The state’s second largest electric utility, and most active service utility market in regards to number of shoppers, has increased their default electricity rates by 18.5% since May. Pennsylvania Power & Light (PP&L) raised their price to compare default rates to 8.227 cents from 7.4 cents on June 1. Another rate increase to 8.77 cents went into effect for the 57% of PP&L residential customers who are still buying their power from the utility’s default rate service program.

In terms of number of residential customers currently purchasing their power from a competitive supplier PP&L is Pennsylvania’s most active choice utility market. Currently 534,341 residential customers encompassing 43% of the total residential class has elected to shop for lower PP&L electricity rates found through third party suppliers. Customer who have locked in fixed electric rates with alternative energy companies will not be affected by these rate increases. Customers who are still on the PP&L default rate can prevent the rate increase by locking in a low fixed electric rate available in the competitive market. Competitive electricity prices replace the PP&L default rate on the electric bill offering easy-to-see savings.

Many residential customers who have not shopped for competitive electric rates are intimidated by the number of offers being solicited to them from numerous energy companies who they have never heard of before. Customers should take ease in the fact that all energy companies offering them service are licensed by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. They should however be careful of deceitful marketing practices that offer a teaser rate that quickly jumps up after the initial month of service. Below is a list of electricity rate offers pre-screened by electricitywatch.org, all prices are apples-to-apples comparisons to the PP&L default rate.