Verified August 2026
Ohio business electricity rates, by utility
Ohio business supply rates range from 9.38¢ per kWh at Ohio Edison to 13.33¢ at AEP Ohio, while competitive suppliers are offering as low as 7.6¢. The gap is widest in AEP Ohio territory, at roughly 5.73¢ per kWh.
Figures taken from each utility's filed tariff rather than from press coverage, which usually quotes a residential rate no business pays. Reviewed on the first of each month.
| Utility | Supply rate | Gap | Demand charge |
|---|---|---|---|
| AEP OhioColumbus, central Ohio | 13.33¢7.68800¢ energy + 5.64179¢ capacity, billed as two riders | 5.73¢ | None under 10 kW on Schedule GS-1 |
| AES OhioDayton, southwest Ohio | 10.85¢Single Price to Compare, fixed through May 31, 2027 | 3.25¢ | $4.77/kW from the first kW — no exemption |
| Duke Energy OhioCincinnati, southwest Ohio | 10.70¢Price to Compare, up 6.1% from 10.0819¢ | 3.10¢ | Applies above roughly 10 kW |
| Ohio EdisonAkron, northeast Ohio | 9.38¢2.1012¢ capacity + 7.2774¢ energy under Rider GEN | 1.78¢ | $19.6895 up to 5 kW, $7.5886/kW above |
| Lowest competitive supplier | 7.6¢ | — | Suppliers do not set demand charges |
Why the demand charge column matters
The supply rate is the half a business can shop. The demand charge is not — it is set by the utility and billed on a single peak reading, and the four tariffs treat it completely differently. A business under 10 kW pays none of it on AEP's Schedule GS-1, while every AES Ohio business pays it from the first kilowatt. Establishing which side of that line you are on decides whether switching suppliers is the right move at all.
What each utility charges, in detail
Why is my Duke Energy bill so high?
Duke Energy Ohio's default supply rate rose 6% in June 2026 while competitive suppliers sit near 7.6¢/kWh. What the gap costs a small business, and when switching is the wrong move.
Why is my Ohio Edison bill so high?
Ohio Edison's Rider GEN rate for General Service customers rose almost 6% in June 2026. What the gap against competitive suppliers costs, and why a demand charge may be the real culprit.
Why is my AEP Ohio bill so high?
AEP Ohio splits generation across two riders, so the Price to Compare quoted in the news is a residential figure no business pays. What a GS-1 account actually pays, and why the April transmission increase can't be shopped away.
Why is my AES Ohio bill so high?
AES Ohio's supply rate holds at 10.85¢/kWh until May 2027, but the charge that surprises Dayton business owners is the demand charge — billed from the first kilowatt, with no small-business exemption.
Supply rates come from each utility's filed tariff with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. The competitive rate is the lowest offer listed on Apples to Apples, the regulator's own comparison tool. Gaps cover the supply portion only and exclude delivery, demand charges and taxes.