Energy Choice: How to Spot a Bad Apple

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The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) requires Ohio energy marketers to list their electric and natural gas offers on its Energy Choice Ohio website, also known as “Apples to Apples.” Some offers can be good apples, but many offers are bad apples. Some can be downright rotten.

The Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel (OCC) has asked the PUCO to remove all outrageously-priced energy offers from its energychoice.ohio.gov (also known as Apples to Apples) website. But, for now, those rotten offers are still listed.

Why do I have to choose a supplier?

In Ohio, you don’t choose your local utility, the company that delivers your energy through wires or pipes. But you can choose which company supplies the electricity or natural gas that runs through them. 

You do not have to choose an alternative supplier and can instead choose to get your energy supply through your utility. This is called the standard offer or default rate. Your local utility does not make a profit from the standard offer and only passes on their cost on your bill.

However, you can also choose to get your energy through an alternative supplier, such as a local government aggregation program or a marketer. If you are choosing an alternative supplier, you need to know how to avoid picking bad apples. 

Good and Bad Apple Examples:

*Price data above is from actual offers found at energychoice.ohio.gov in Summer 2026. Good apple rates can be fixed or variable rates.  Consumers should review and monitor variable price agreements carefully for unexpected spikes.

The Bottom Line:

Switching to an energy marketer can be risky. Prices may go up unexpectedly. Contracts may automatically renew at a higher price. Government aggregation and the utility’s standard offer can be a safer way to save money on your monthly energy bills, but savings are not guaranteed. Data shows that historically, consumers who chose marketers have spent more than those who stayed with their local utility’s standard offer.

When considering a new electric or natural gas supplier, it’s important to compare your choices. The PUCO’s “Apples to Apples” website can help you do this. OCC also recommends using the How to Make Wise Energy Choices fact sheet to learn more about different ways to get your electric supply and how to choose what’s right for you. OCC’s fact sheet also provides questions to ask when considering an alternative supplier.

Also remember that there is more to determining a bad apple than the rate you will be paying.  When selecting marketers, watch for any monthly fees and consider avoiding contracts with high early termination fees. Offers for short periods of time such as one or two months may be teaser rates that can increase quickly.

Definitions:

• Standard Choice Offer (SCO): The utility's price for natural gas supply (default rate) for consumers who don't pick a different supplier. The SCO is a market-based gas supply price established through a competitive auction.
• Standard Service Offer (SSO): The default electricity supply service for consumers who don't pick a different supplier. Listed as the Price to Compare on a consumer’s electric bill, the SSO price is generally determined through competitive auctions.

The PUCO offers a “Glossary of Terms” that may also be helpful at: www.energychoice.ohio.gov/Pages/Glossary%20of%20Terms.aspx

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