It’s important to us that customers understand their AEP Ohio bills, especially when and why rates increase or decrease. While the amount of your electric bill heavily depends on how much electricity you use and who supplies your electric generation, we want you to be as informed as possible about what makes up those charges. If you need help with your bill, we’re here for you — keep scrolling for a video that walks you through bill assistance options.
What Goes Into Your Bill
Generation, transmission and distribution are the three main components of your electric bill. AEP Ohio is a distribution utility, but your AEP Ohio bill includes all three parts. With approval from the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO), all three components change regularly because of the way Ohio’s electric regulations are structured.
- Generation charges include the cost to generate electricity — power plants, solar farms, etc.
- Transmission charges cover the costs of the high-voltage lines that move electricity from generation sources to communities.
- Distribution charges cover the local poles and wires in your neighborhood and the employees who work on them.
Ohioans can choose to receive their generation supply from a Competitive Retail Electric Service (CRES) provider or remain on AEP Ohio’s Standard Service Offer (SSO) rate, where generation charges are passed through, dollar for dollar, with no markup.
Generation Rate Change for SSO Customers
As of June 1, all residential AEP Ohio customers on the SSO saw their generation rate increase to $0.1012 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), a difference of 0.9% from the previous rate. For an average customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours per month, that equals an increase of about $1.81 per month. This rate will be in effect through May 31, 2027.
Customers who receive their generation supply from a CRES provider should check with their supplier to stay updated on any upcoming rate changes.
You Can Shop for Generation
Customers can visit EnergyChoice.Ohio.gov to compare CRES providers and their rates to AEP Ohio’s SSO rate.
Get Help When You Need It
We encourage customers to take advantage of our bill assistance tool by completing a quick, 2-minute survey to see which programs you qualify for — there are options available for everyone. Watch the video below for a step-by-step guide to using the tool. 
