Ohio Electric Bills Increase in June: What Changed for AEP Ohio Customers in 2026, and Why
- What Changed on AEP Ohio Bills on June 1, 2026
- Why Is My Electric Bill So High in Ohio? The Three Parts of the Bill
- Keeping More of Your Own Solar: Where EcoFlow TITAN Plus Fits for Ohio Homes
- AEP Rate Increase 2026: The Distribution Rate Case, Stage by Stage
- Shopping your supply: SSO, CRES suppliers, and aggregation
- Ohio net metering in 2026: What solar owners earn for excess power
- Conclusion
- FAQs
Ohio electric bills can rise in June just as air conditioning use picks up. For customers on AEP Ohio's default supply, generation charges reset on June 1, so higher rates, increased usage, or both can drive up costs. AEP Ohio is now Ohio Power Company, with the new name appearing on bills starting in October 2026. This guide explains the June rate changes, other bill charges, and how electricity shopping, rooftop solar, and battery storage can help you manage costs.
What Changed on AEP Ohio Bills on June 1, 2026
Ohio Power Company (AEP Ohio) delivers electricity to customers, but the price of generation depends on their supply plan. The June 1, 2026, rate change applies only to customers on the utility's default Standard Service Offer (SSO), not those with a competitive supplier or community aggregation contract. AEP Ohio announced on September 24, 2026, that bills will be issued under the name Ohio Power Company starting October 1, 2026, with no customer action required.
SSO generation charges for residential customers
Ohio Power's residential tariff lists the SSO generation charges effective June 1, 2026. The table below shows the charges for standard residential customers from the October 2026 Ohio Power Tariff Book.
Charge (sheet) | Residential rate | Effective | Authority / Source | Who pays it |
Generation Energy Rider (1st Revised Sheet 450-1) | 7.50800¢/kWh for both summer (June to September) and winter (October to May); 6.85000¢ for PIPP customers | June 1, 2026 | Order dated May 27, 2026, Case No. 26-548-EL-RDR, and April 1, 2026 order in 25-392-EL-AIR (Tariff Book) | SSO customers only |
Generation Capacity Rider (1st Revised Sheet 451-1), Schedule RS | 2.65900¢/kWh | June 1, 2026 | Same (Tariff Book) | SSO customers only |
Generation Capacity Rider (1st Revised Sheet 451-1), Schedule RS-TOU (AMI meter required) | 22.21581¢/kWh on-peak; 0.00000¢/kWh off-peak | June 1, 2026 | Same (Tariff Book) | SSO customers on RS-TOU only |
Auction Cost Reconciliation Rider (2nd Revised Sheet 452-1) | (0.37229)¢/kWh, a credit | Cycle 1, October 2026 | Orders in 25-392-EL-AIR and 24-582-EL-RDR (Tariff Book) | SSO customers |
All four tariff sheets are final and in effect. For standard RS customers, the two generation charges that reset June 1 total 10.167¢ per kWh, before the reconciliation credit and other riders. This isn't the full electricity rate. PUCO explains that utilities buy power through auctions held several times a year, typically for one- or two-year contracts. They blend the results and pass the price to default-service customers without a markup. Duke Energy Ohio, AES Ohio, and FirstEnergy utilities also adjust default supply prices around June 1, though customers should check their specific utility tariff or the PUCO News Bureau Portal for exact, current residential Price to Compare (PTC) sheets. Comparing your May and June bills with typical Ohio electric bills can help show whether the increase came from the new generation charges, higher air-conditioning use, or both. But generation is only one part of the bill. Transmission and distribution charges also affect what Ohio households pay.
Why Is My Electric Bill So High in Ohio? The Three Parts of the Bill
Your electric bill has three main parts: generation, transmission, and distribution. Each covers a different part of getting electricity to your home, and each can affect the amount you owe.
Generation: the electricity you use
Generation covers the electricity supplied to your home. PUCO notes that it can account for more than half of a monthly electric bill. For customers on the SSO, the June 2026 generation riders are one reason the cost can rise during the summer. The price of generation also responds to supply and demand. PUCO has pointed to higher PJM capacity prices as a major factor behind another spike in generation rates during summer 2025.
Transmission: moving electricity over long distances
Transmission pays for high-voltage lines that carry electricity across the regional grid. Ohio participates in PJM, a regional grid operator whose transmission costs are spread across a multistate area. As a result, investments outside Ohio can affect the costs paid by Ohio customers.
Distribution: delivering power to your home
Distribution covers the local poles, wires, and meters that deliver electricity to your home. Under Ohio Power's RS tariff, effective April 10, 2026, customers pay $13.50 per month plus 3.47738¢ per kWh for distribution. Other charges and riders, including transmission, infrastructure, storm recovery, and energy efficiency costs, may also apply depending on your tariff and usage.
Why summer usage matters
Higher rates aren't the only reason bills rise in summer. Air conditioning, dehumidifiers, and pool equipment can increase electricity use, so compare the kWh on your May and June bills to see what changed. Growing demand from large users also matters. PUCO is addressing potential data center costs through new safeguards. Learn how AI data centers affect household bills across PJM states like Ohio. For homeowners with rooftop solar, the next question is whether to export surplus power or store it for later. That's where a home battery like EcoFlow TITAN Plus may be worth considering, depending on your utility rates, solar setup, and backup needs.
Keeping More of Your Own Solar: Where EcoFlow TITAN Plus Fits for Ohio Homes
If you already have rooftop solar, or plan to install it, a higher electric bill may prompt you to consider a battery. But a price increase alone doesn't prove that storage will save you money. First, check your electricity supply arrangement, the cost of power you buy, the credit you receive for exported solar, and how much electricity your household uses after sunset. These details matter because Ohio Power's net metering rules can make the financial benefit of storing surplus electricity smaller than expected.
Four things to check before buying a battery
Your supply arrangement: Find out whether you're on the SSO, with a competitive supplier, or in a community aggregation program. The June 1 generation riders discussed above apply to SSO customers.
Your import price: For standard RS customers, account for the generation charges, the 3.47738-cent distribution energy charge, other per-kWh riders, and applicable taxes.
Your export credit: Ohio Power's net metering tariff treats exported electricity differently depending on whether you use more power than you export during a billing period.
Your daily usage: Look at how much electricity you use in the evening and early morning, when rooftop solar may not be producing enough to cover your needs.
When does storing solar power save money?
Under Ohio Power's current net metering rules, storing surplus solar offers SSO customers only modest savings at most. If you use more electricity than you export in a billing period, exported power already offsets imports, so battery losses can make storage less economical. In an estimated example for a net exporter, storing 4 kWh and recovering 3.4 kWh after battery losses saves about $0.46 in import charges, compared with roughly $0.41 in export credits. That's a difference of about $0.05 per day, before installation costs.
Can time-of-use rates improve the savings?
Ohio Power's optional RS-TOU tariff requires an advanced meter. For SSO customers, weekday on-peak hours are 2–6 p.m. from May through October and 6–9 a.m. from November through April, excluding listed legal holidays (New Year’s, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas) [Sheet 215-1]. The capacity charge is 22.21581¢ per kWh on-peak and zero off-peak. Shifting 3 kWh of winter morning use to overnight power saves about $0.61 per weekday after battery efficiency losses. Across approximately 124 non-holiday weekdays from November 2026 through April 2027, this totals roughly $77. This applies only to SSO customers on RS-TOU, excludes taxes and installation, and assumes 3 kWh of morning draw while keeping 1 kWh in reserve for outages.
Where a home battery fits
The savings above are estimates, not guarantees, and shouldn't be added together. A battery may offer more value by storing solar for evening use or keeping selected circuits running during an outage. With EcoFlow TITAN Plus and Smart Home Panel 10 installed by a licensed electrician, you can back up selected circuits. List the appliances you want to run and have your electrician check their nameplate requirements.
Where EcoFlow TITAN Plus fits
EcoFlow TITAN Plus can help Ohio Power customers with compatible solar store daytime energy for evening use, cover selected circuits during outages, or shift winter morning usage on the RS-TOU tariff. But it won't erase the June rate increase or reduce appliance energy use. Under current net metering rules, storing surplus instead of exporting saves SSO customers only a few cents a day at most, before installation costs. Before investing, start by sizing a solar battery for essential loads based on what you actually use after sunset. Solar storage is only part of the 2026 picture. Ohio Power's distribution rate case also changed the delivery side of the bill this spring.
AEP Rate Increase 2026: The Distribution Rate Case, Stage by Stage
PUCO approved a final order in AEP Ohio's distribution rate case on April 1, 2026. The decision moved base distribution revenue and total revenue in opposite directions, so those figures shouldn't be treated as the same thing.
AEP Ohio's 2026 distribution rate case by stage
The table below tracks Case No. 25-392-EL-AIR for Ohio Power Company, from the initial filing through the final order.
Stage | Date | What the official source says |
Filed (proposed) | 2025 | AEP Ohio sought a $97 million increase in base distribution revenues (PUCO; OCC). |
Settlement filed (proposed) | Jan. 7, 2026 | AEP's Case 25-392 release described a settlement—presented as AEP's projection at the settlement proposal stage—that would "decrease distribution rates by $58.7 million overall" and projected a $1.22 monthly drop in distribution charges for a 1,000 kWh residential customer. |
Final order | April 1, 2026 | Per the OCC Fact Sheet, PUCO adopted the settlement (with formal order page citations pending final docket verification): base distribution revenues up $11 million, return on equity (ROE) of 9.84%, about $105 million returned to customers over an 18-month period under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, resulting in a total revenue decrease of about $58.7 million, alongside a minimum monthly charge for new data center customers. |
Rehearing | After April 1, 2026 | OCC applied for rehearing; PUCO denied it (OCC). |
Compliance tariff | Effective April 10, 2026 | Ohio Power's new tariff book, P.U.C.O. No. 22, "Filed pursuant to Order dated April 1, 2026 in Case No. 25-392-EL-AIR." |
The Ohio Consumers' Counsel opposed the increase and says most residential customers will still see a net increase in their overall bills. AEP's projection differs, so keep the figures separate: the $97 million, $11 million, and $58.7 million amounts describe revenue changes, not individual bill increases. Distribution cases are part of how U.S. electricity prices change over time as utilities recover grid costs. Distribution charges apply regardless of your electricity supplier, but Ohio lets customers shop for generation supply. That's where the June rate reset comes in.
Shopping your supply: SSO, CRES suppliers, and aggregation
Ohio lets customers choose who supplies their electricity generation, while Ohio Power delivers the power. You can stay on the Standard Service Offer (SSO), choose a certified competitive retail electric service (CRES) supplier, or join a community aggregation program. PUCO says about one-third of Ohio customers remain on default service, and the June 1 generation riders apply only to them.
What changes when you shop?
Ohio Power marks several generation riders as bypassable for customers who shop, including the Generation Energy, Generation Capacity, Auction Cost Reconciliation, Retail Reconciliation, and Alternative Energy riders. Distribution and transmission charges still apply.
How to compare offers
Check the "price to compare" on your Ohio Power bill and review PUCO's apples-to-apples offers. Before signing, check the rate type, contract length, termination fees, renewal terms, and whether the offer covers generation only. Understand the difference between your utility and electricity provider: Ohio Power still delivers your electricity and sends your bill. If you have rooftop solar, the next step is understanding how Ohio Power credits the power you send back to the grid.
Ohio net metering in 2026: What solar owners earn for excess power
Ohio's net metering rules set the basic requirements, while Ohio Power's tariff determines how credits appear on your bill. If you use more electricity than you export, your exports offset usage. If you export more than you use, the excess earns credits for generation-related charges, not delivery charges.
How Ohio's net metering rules work
Under Ohio Adm.Code 4901:1-10-28, effective April 8, 2024, your system must be sized primarily to meet your own electricity needs and cannot exceed 120% of those requirements at interconnection. Excess generation earns a monetary credit based on the energy component of the utility's Standard Service Offer (SSO), which carries forward to future bills.
How Ohio Power calculates credits
Under Schedule NEMS, effective April 10, 2026, Ohio Power calculates energy charges on net usage when you import more than you export. If you export more, only generation-related charges, including applicable riders, are calculated on the net export; other energy charges are set to zero. Excess credits carry forward, and you can request a written refund subject to the tariff's annual true-up limit. If you buy electricity from a competitive supplier, ask how it credits exported power. Don't assume its terms match Ohio Power's SSO tariff.
What to check before adding a battery
Before adding a battery, confirm with your installer that your system meets Ohio's 120% sizing rule and review 12 months of bills to see when you export more electricity than you use. Then decide whether your main goal is to power your home in the evening or provide backup during outages. Understanding net metering and solar energy management can help you compare export credits with the value of using your own solar power.
Conclusion
Ohio electric bills can rise in June for two reasons at once: SSO generation charges reset, and hot weather increases air-conditioning use. The April 2026 distribution order also changed the delivery side of the bill, while the impact of each change depends on your tariff and electricity usage. Start by checking whether you're on the SSO, comparing your May and June kWh usage, and reviewing the price to compare on your bill. If you have rooftop solar, read the net metering terms before assuming a battery will deliver major savings. For households with compatible solar that want to use more energy after dark or back up selected circuits, EcoFlow TITAN Plus may be worth evaluating. Have a licensed electrician confirm the system, selected circuits, and Smart Home Panel 10 requirements before making a decision.
FAQs
Why did my Ohio electric bill go up in June?
For customers on AEP Ohio's default supply service, generation charges reset on June 1. Higher summer air-conditioning use can increase the bill further.
Did AEP Ohio raise rates in 2026?
PUCO's April 1, 2026 order increased base distribution revenues by $11 million but reduced total revenue by about $58.7 million after a tax-related return to customers. The Ohio Consumers' Counsel said most residential customers would still see a net increase, though individual bills vary.
Is AEP Ohio now Ohio Power Company?
Yes. The utility changed its name to Ohio Power Company, and the new name began appearing on bills in October 2026. Customers didn't need to take action.
Can switching electricity suppliers lower my bill?
It can change the generation portion of your bill. Compare your current price to compare with offers on PUCO's Energy Choice Ohio Apples to Apples charts, and review the contract terms before switching.
How much does AEP Ohio pay for excess solar power?
Under Ohio Power's net metering tariff, exported electricity first offsets usage within the billing period. Any net excess receives credits based on generation-related charges, with eligible credits carrying forward to future bills.
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