Best Electricity Rates in Dayton 2026: AES Ohio Price to Compare & Suppliers

If you live in Dayton, the supply portion of your electric bill is one of the few costs you can actually shop — and in 2026 it pays to do so. AES Ohio (the utility formerly known as Dayton Power & Light) raised its default Standard Service Offer to 10.856¢/kWh effective June 1, 2026, a roughly 7.5% jump that adds about $14 a month to a typical 1,000 kWh household. Ohio’s deregulated market means you don’t have to accept that rate. This guide explains AES Ohio’s Price to Compare, how Energy Choice Ohio works, and how to find a competitive supplier in the Dayton area.

How electricity choice works in Dayton

Ohio separated the supply of electricity from its delivery back in 2001. AES Ohio still owns the poles, wires, and meters across the Dayton region, still restores power after storms, and still sends your bill. What changed is that the electrons themselves can be bought from any certified retail supplier competing on the Energy Choice Ohio marketplace. Switching suppliers does not change your wires, your reliability, or who you call during an outage — only the price you pay per kilowatt-hour for generation.

If you never shop, you’re automatically served under AES Ohio’s Standard Service Offer (SSO), also called the Price to Compare. That’s the benchmark every competitive offer is measured against.

AES Ohio’s 2026 Price to Compare

AES Ohio’s residential SSO is set through a competitive procurement auction and resets annually. For the period running June 1, 2026 through May 31, 2027, the Price to Compare is 10.856¢/kWh. For a household using about 1,000 kWh a month, the increase from the prior period works out to roughly $14.06 more per month, or about 7.5%. That figure is purely the generation charge — AES Ohio’s delivery charges are added on top and are the same no matter which supplier you choose.

Because the SSO is a blended, auction-based rate, it isn’t designed to be the cheapest option on the market. It’s the default. The whole point of Energy Choice Ohio is that you can usually beat it by locking a fixed rate with a competitive supplier.

Comparing Dayton electricity suppliers

Certified suppliers in AES Ohio territory typically offer fixed-rate contracts of 6, 12, 24, or 36 months. When you compare, focus on three numbers:

• The per-kWh rate versus the 10.856¢ Price to Compare. A fixed rate below that benchmark locks in savings and protects you from the next annual SSO reset.
• The contract term. Longer terms give price certainty; shorter terms give flexibility. Avoid month-to-month variable plans unless you intend to watch them closely.
• Fees. Check for monthly service charges and early termination fees (ETFs), which commonly run $50–$150 if you leave before the term ends.

The official, unbiased place to see every certified offer is the Energy Choice Ohio “Apples to Apples” chart maintained by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. Independent comparison tools can route you to enrollment and often surface promotional rates as well.

Dayton’s governmental aggregation program

The City of Dayton runs an opt-out electric aggregation program, which negotiates a bulk supply rate on behalf of residents and small businesses inside city limits. If you’re enrolled in the city’s aggregation, you’re already buying supply from a contracted provider rather than the SSO — but it’s still worth comparing that aggregation rate against current market offers, because individually shopped fixed rates sometimes beat the aggregated price, especially right after an SSO increase. You can opt out of aggregation and choose your own supplier at any time without penalty from the city.

Fixed vs. variable: which to pick in 2026

With the SSO climbing and summer demand pushing wholesale prices up, a fixed-rate plan is the safer default for most Dayton households in 2026. A fixed rate locks your generation price for the full term, insulating you from both the annual SSO reset and seasonal volatility. Variable-rate plans can start low but reset monthly at the supplier’s discretion — the same structure that has burned shoppers across deregulated markets when introductory teaser rates expire.

How to switch suppliers in Dayton

1. Find your current usage and your Price to Compare on a recent AES Ohio bill.
2. Compare certified offers on Energy Choice Ohio or a comparison tool, filtering for fixed-rate plans below 10.856¢/kWh.
3. Confirm the term length, monthly fee, and early termination fee before enrolling.
4. Enroll with your chosen supplier — you’ll need your AES Ohio account number.
5. AES Ohio continues to deliver your power and bill you; only the supply line item changes, usually within one to two billing cycles.

Frequently asked questions

Is AES Ohio the same as Dayton Power & Light? Yes. AES Ohio is the rebranded name for DP&L, the regulated utility serving the Dayton region. It still handles delivery and outages regardless of your supplier.

What is the AES Ohio Price to Compare for 2026? 10.856¢/kWh for residential customers, effective June 1, 2026 through May 31, 2027.

Will my power be less reliable if I switch suppliers? No. The physical electricity and the grid are identical. Suppliers only sell the generation; AES Ohio maintains the wires and restores outages.

Are there fees to switch? AES Ohio doesn’t charge you to choose a supplier. Your supplier may charge an early termination fee if you leave a fixed contract early, so check the terms.

What about the City of Dayton aggregation? It’s an opt-out program that buys supply in bulk for residents. Compare its rate to market offers; you can opt out and shop individually at no penalty.

How often does the Price to Compare change? AES Ohio’s residential SSO resets annually on June 1 based on a competitive auction, so the benchmark can move up or down each year.

Bottom line

Dayton households face a higher default supply rate in 2026, but Ohio’s competitive market gives you a straightforward way to fight back: lock a fixed rate below the 10.856¢ Price to Compare and stop riding the annual SSO reset. Compare current offers, check the fees, and switch — your power stays exactly as reliable while your supply cost drops.

What’s driving Ohio electricity prices in 2026

The 2026 SSO increase isn’t unique to AES Ohio — utilities across PJM (the regional grid operator covering Ohio) raised default rates this year, driven largely by record capacity-auction results. The capacity charge is what generators are paid to guarantee they’ll be available during peak demand, and it jumped sharply in the most recent PJM auction. That cost flows straight into the auction-based SSO that sets your Price to Compare. The practical takeaway for Dayton households: default rates are under upward pressure, which widens the case for locking a fixed competitive rate now rather than riding the SSO higher at the next annual reset. A fixed contract signed today is immune to whatever the June 2027 auction produces, which is exactly the kind of insulation worth having when the underlying market is trending up.

---

Disclaimer: Electricity rates, utility Price to Compare values, and supplier plan terms change frequently and vary by ZIP code and usage. Figures cited reflect publicly reported data as of June 2026 and are for general information only. Always confirm the current rate, term, and fees directly with the provider or your state shopping portal before enrolling. electricitysuppliers.com may earn a commission when you compare plans through our partners.