Commercial electricity in Columbus, Ohio

Electric utilities serving Columbus

These are the utilities EIA records in Franklin County, Delaware County and Fairfield County, the 3 counties it spans. EIA lists a utility in a county when it has customers anywhere in it, so this is everyone with a presence, ordered by commercial customers across Ohio, not a statement about any one address. Prices are EIA’s averages over all of each utility’s commercial customers: revenue divided by kWh.

City of Columbus is a city-owned utility named for Columbus, and city-owned utilities usually serve the area inside the city’s limits, so it is the likely utility for many addresses there. It billed its 3,152 commercial customers an average 13.92¢ per kWh in 2025.

Find the list for a single ZIP Code with the utility lookup, or set utilities side by side with the comparison tool.

What businesses in Columbus pay

Across Ohio, businesses paid an average 13.22¢ per kWh over the 12 months to August 2026, 4.7% below the U.S. average of 13.87¢, and up 20.1% on the 12 months before. That ranks Ohio 23 of 51, where 1 is the highest price. In 2025 the average commercial account in the state used 7,699 kWh a month, about $892 a month at the state price; that is a mean pulled up by a few very large users, so most small businesses use less.

A city has no price of its own: two businesses on the same street can pay very different amounts per kWh, because the rate schedule, the size of the peak and, where it is allowed, the supply contract matter more than the location. The Ohio page has the state’s price history since 2010 and every utility with at least 500 commercial customers.

Choosing a supplier in Columbus

Eligible Ohio commercial accounts may buy supply from a certified retail electric service provider while AEP Ohio, Duke, AES Ohio or a FirstEnergy utility continues regulated delivery. Governmental aggregation is common and changes the default.

Where prices are heading

EIA does not forecast single states. For the East North Central census division, which includes Ohio, its November 2026 Short-Term Energy Outlook puts the average commercial price at 14.03¢ per kWh for 2026 and 14.36¢ for 2027, up 10.5% from 12.99¢ in 2025. The forecast for every region.

About Columbus

The Census Bureau estimates Columbus had 938,396 residents on July 1, 2025, up 3.5% from 906,675 in 2020. It spans 3 counties, most of its people in Franklin County.

Other cities in Ohio

• Cleveland
• Cincinnati
• Toledo
• Akron
• Dayton

Common questions

Who provides electricity to businesses in Columbus?

EIA lists City of Columbus, AEP Ohio, Ohio Edison and Duke Energy Ohio and 8 more as electric utilities in Franklin County, Delaware County and Fairfield County. Which one serves a given address depends on the street; the utility on an existing bill is the definitive answer, and a utility can confirm service for a new site.

What is the average commercial electricity rate in Columbus?

There is no official figure for a city. EIA publishes prices by state and by utility: City of Columbus averaged 13.92¢ per kWh for its commercial customers in 2025, and Ohio averaged 13.22¢ over the 12 months to August 2026. A business’s own price depends on its rate schedule, its demand and, where it can choose, its supply contract.

Can a business in Columbus choose its electricity supplier?

Eligible Ohio commercial accounts may buy supply from a certified retail electric service provider while AEP Ohio, Duke, AES Ohio or a FirstEnergy utility continues regulated delivery. Governmental aggregation is common and changes the default. The state page for Ohio explains how it works and who regulates it.