Stein encourages Ohioans to research energy suppliers

COLUMBUS — Rep. Dick Stein (R-Norwalk) today shared an article from the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) regarding choices that Ohio ratepayers have when choosing an energy provider. Stein serves as chairman of the House Public Utilities Committee. The committee hears legislation surrounding utility services for Ohioans. "Electric rates have continued to rise due to ever-increasing natural gas prices," Stein said. "Through deregulation, Ohio allows residents to shop around for the best energy price. I encourage all Ohioans to compare the prices of energy suppliers by using Apples to Apples to find your best rate." In Ohio, the standard service offer (SSO) is the default rate for generation supply that an electric distribution utility charges a customer who decides not to shop for the generation portion of their electric bill. In order to secure electricity for customers on the SSO rate, electric distribution utilities conduct competitive wholesale auctions to acquire the generation necessary to serve the standard service offer. Due to a variety of international and national factors impacting the supply of electricity, these recent competitive auctions will result in increases on June 1, 2023, in the price of the generation portion of Ohioans' electric bill. However, Ohio consumers have the ability to choose or shop for the generation portion of their electric bill, thus reducing their overall bill impacts. Per the information on PUCO's website, Ohioans can choose the company that generates their electricity. Those looking to learn about different energy suppliers should visit Ohio.gov and use the Apples to Apples comparison tool to view rates, terms, and conditions associated with competitive generation supply offerings. In 2022, nearly half of Ohio's residential, industrial, and commercial customers chose different suppliers to provide their electric or natural gas service.