Ohio

Why is it like this in Ohio?

Ohio's residential electricity rate of about 15.9¢/kWh reflects the state's deregulated market structure and PJM capacity charges — a combination that has pushed bills well above what generation costs alone would justify. AEP and FirstEnergy are both pursuing rate increases from PUCO. At the January 2026 baseline, electricity is still the cheaper per-mile option for Ohio PHEV drivers — though the structural cost pressures are real. Pending AEP and FirstEnergy rate cases could significantly narrow or eliminate that advantage.

In the news · Ohio

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  AEP Ohio customers oppose proposed electric rate hike as new data centers pressure grid

  Ideastream Public Media · Dec 5, 2025

  Dozens of Ohioans pushed back at a PUCO hearing on AEP's request for a ~$4/month average rate hike driven by data center load — directly relevant to whether Ohio's electricity costs will remain competitive with gasoline for PHEV drivers.

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  Why Ohio electricity bills are so high—and their political impact

  Ideastream Public Media / Inside Climate News · Mar 16, 2026

  Explains the structural causes behind Ohio's high electricity rates — including PJM capacity charges and deregulation failures — providing essential context for why Ohio ranks as a state where gas often beats electricity for PHEVs.

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  FirstEnergy companies asking Ohio regulators for rate increases

  Ideastream Public Media · May 2, 2024

  FirstEnergy's Ohio Edison, Cleveland Electric, and Toledo Edison all sought rate restructuring from PUCO, serving roughly half Ohio's counties — adding to the multi-utility rate pressure that has pushed Ohio's average electricity cost well above the PHEV breakeven threshold in many scenarios.

Curated coverage of Ohio's EV/PHEV cost, policy, and infrastructure story. External links open in a new tab.

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