Duke Energy Ohio Rate Selection Guide
Duke Energy Ohio is the investor-owned electric and natural gas utility serving roughly 760,000 electric customers across southwest Ohio (the Cincinnati area), regulated by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO). It operates in Ohio's deregulated Energy Choice market, so customers can buy generation (electric) and gas supply from certified competitive suppliers while Duke provides delivery.
Duke Energy Ohio Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rate DS (Secondary) | Commercial | ~$33.56/mo + ~$6.97/kW + ~$0.0136-0.0164/kWh distribution | C&I at secondary voltage, demand >15 kW |
| Rate DP (Primary) | Industrial | Per filed tariff (primary voltage) | Large C&I served at 12.5/34.5 kV |
| Rate DM (Small) | Commercial | SSO first-block ~$0.113583/kWh (Jun 2026) | Small general-service commercial |
Market Overview
Customers buy delivery from Duke Energy Ohio and may buy electric generation and/or natural gas supply from PUCO-certified competitive suppliers, or default to Duke's Standard Service Offer (Price to Compare). The Energy Choice Ohio / Apples to Apples portal lists certified supplier offers.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Duke Energy Ohio Data Access Guide →
Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) Options
Many Ohio communities run opt-out governmental aggregation programs that negotiate group electric/gas supply rates on behalf of residents and small businesses.
Current Rate Schedules
Verified from PUCO's filed Duke Energy Ohio Schedule of Rates and the URDB record for Rate DS (effective 01/02/2026). Rate DS (secondary, >15 kW): fixed charge ~$33.56/month; distribution demand charge ~$6.9678/kW plus ~$3.2358/kW in riders; tiered distribution energy charge from ~$0.016439/kWh (first 2,000 kWh) down to ~$0.013567/kWh (over ~850,000 kWh). Rate DP serves larger primary-voltage customers. Generation is separate: the residential SSO Price to Compare rises to 10.7016¢/kWh on June 1, 2026 (small-commercial Rate DM first-block riders ~$0.113583/kWh), or customers can buy from a competitive supplier.
Effective: January 2, 2026 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rate DS — Secondary Distribution Service | commercial | Commercial/industrial service at secondary voltage where average monthly demand exceeds 15 kW. | Fixed charge ~$33.56/mo; distribution demand ~$6.9678/kW + ~$3.2358/kW riders; tiered distribution energy ~$0.016439/kWh (first 2,000 kWh), ~$0.015979 (next to 15,000), ~$0.015419 (to 833,000), ~$0.013567 thereafter; plus generation (SSO Price to Compare or competitive supplier). | Distribution energy ~$0.0136-$0.0164/kWh+ ~$6.9678/kW distribution + ~$3.2358/kW riders |
| Rate DP — Primary Distribution Service | industrial | Larger commercial/industrial customers served at primary distribution voltage (12,500 V or 34,500 V). | Primary-voltage distribution service with customer, demand, and energy components per the filed tariff (lower per-unit distribution than secondary, reflecting customer-owned transformation); generation supplied via SSO Price to Compare or a competitive supplier. See PUCO tariff for current figures. | Per filed PUCO tariff (primary voltage)+ Per filed PUCO tariff |
| Rate DM — Secondary Distribution, Small | commercial | Small commercial/general service customers at secondary voltage (lower demand than Rate DS). | Small general-service distribution rate; SSO generation Price to Compare components (Riders RE, RC, AER, SCR) for the first 2,800 kWh block rise to ~$0.113583/kWh on June 1, 2026 (up ~7%). Distribution charges per the filed tariff. | SSO first-block generation ~$0.113583/kWh (Jun 2026)+ Per filed PUCO tariff |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Mid-size commercial facility (secondary voltage)
Commercial buildings with average demand above 15 kW served at secondary voltage take Rate DS for delivery, with generation from the SSO or a competitive supplier.
Rate DS is the standard secondary-voltage C&I class. Its demand charge (~$6.97/kW plus riders) rewards flattening peak demand, and the generation portion can be reduced by shopping competitive suppliers.
- Manage peak demand to reduce the ~$6.97/kW (+riders) demand charge
- Pull 15-minute interval data from Business Experience to find peaks
- Compare competitive generation offers against the SSO Price to Compare
Large industrial customer (primary voltage)
Large industrials served at 12,500 V or 34,500 V should take Rate DP and evaluate primary-voltage service economics.
Primary-voltage service generally carries lower per-unit distribution charges (customer owns transformation). Generation is still separate and shoppable.
- Confirm primary-service eligibility and metering with Duke
- Model owning transformation vs. secondary service
- Negotiate competitive generation supply for large, steady loads
Small commercial / general service
Small commercial accounts (demand under the Rate DS threshold) typically take Rate DM and should actively shop generation.
Small accounts have little demand-charge exposure, so the generation Price to Compare (first-block riders ~$0.113583/kWh in June 2026) dominates the bill — a competitive supplier can lower it.
- Check the current Price to Compare before signing a supplier
- Use the Energy Choice Ohio Apples to Apples portal
- Watch for SSO Price to Compare resets each June
Energy buyer evaluating supplier choice
Any C&I customer should periodically benchmark competitive generation/gas offers against Duke's SSO and Ohio Gas Customer Choice default.
Delivery charges are fixed by PUCO regardless of supplier, so savings come from the generation/supply component via Energy Choice Ohio.
- Authorize a broker via the customer authorization form to pull HU/HI data
- Solicit fixed-price offers to hedge SSO volatility
- Re-shop before each contract expiration
Historical Rate Trends
Generation Price to Compare is reset (typically each June) through Duke's PUCO-approved Electric Security Plan and competitive SSO auctions; distribution rates change in PUCO rate cases. Recent generation resets have trended up.
June 1, 2026
Residential SSO Price to Compare rises to 10.7016¢/kWh (from 10.0819¢/kWh); small-commercial Rate DM first-block riders rise to ~$0.113583/kWh.
+6% (res); +7% (Rate DM)June 1, 2025
Residential Price to Compare increased ~30% and small-commercial Rate DM ~22% with the updated SSO/ESP riders.
+30% (res); +22% (Rate DM)Overall trend: Rising. Residential generation Price to Compare increases ~6% to 10.7016¢/kWh on June 1, 2026 (from 10.0819¢/kWh); small-commercial (Rate DM) first-block SSO riders rise ~7% to ~$0.113583/kWh. A larger ~30% residential / ~22% Rate DM increase took effect in 2025.
Next expected change: Next SSO Price to Compare reset expected around June 1, 2027; bypassable riders can adjust during the year.
Cost Optimization Strategies
Because delivery charges are regulated and fixed regardless of supplier, Duke Energy Ohio C&I optimization focuses on demand management, voltage-level rate selection, and shopping the competitive generation/gas supply.
Shop competitive generation supply
For: All electric C&I accounts
Buy generation from a PUCO-certified supplier (or join governmental aggregation) instead of the default SSO Price to Compare. Delivery charges are unchanged.
Reduce peak demand (kW)
For: Rate DS / DP customers
Rate DS/DP bill a distribution demand charge (~$6.97/kW plus riders on DS). Shifting or shaving peaks using 15-minute interval data lowers demand charges.
Choose the right voltage class
For: Large industrial customers
Large customers served at primary voltage (Rate DP) often see lower per-unit distribution than secondary (Rate DS) by owning transformation.
Leverage interval data and authorized brokers
For: C&I customers and their advisors
Use Business Experience 15-minute data (or authorize a broker to pull HI via EDI) for load analysis and to solicit better supply offers.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Duke Energy Ohio interval data →
Deregulated Market Shopping
Ohio is a retail-choice state. Duke Energy Ohio remains the regulated delivery (wires/pipes) provider, but customers can buy electric generation and natural gas supply from PUCO-certified competitive suppliers, or default to Duke's Standard Service Offer / Ohio Gas Customer Choice default. The Energy Choice Ohio Apples to Apples portal lists certified offers.
How to Compare Duke Energy Ohio Suppliers
- 01Find your generation Price to Compare on your Duke bill or the Price to Compare page
- 02Compare certified supplier offers on the Energy Choice Ohio Apples to Apples portal
- 03Confirm contract length, price type (fixed/variable), and any fees
- 04Enroll with the supplier; Duke continues to deliver and bill
Contract Terms for Duke Energy Ohio Supply Agreements
- Fixed vs. variable price; typical terms 6-36 months
- Early-termination fees may apply
- Authorization (Letter of Agency) required for the supplier to enroll/pull data
- Governmental aggregation is usually opt-out
Common Pitfalls When Shopping Duke Energy Ohio Rates
- Delivery (distribution) charges do not change when you switch suppliers
- Introductory variable rates can spike after the intro period
- SSO Price to Compare resets (typically each June) change the benchmark
- Always compare supplier offers against the current Price to Compare
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a C&I customer download 15-minute interval data?▾
Yes. Register for the Business Experience portal, open Usage/Energy Analysis, select 15-minute granularity and a date range, and export the data as a spreadsheet or PDF. Full AMI deployment means interval data is available for essentially all accounts.
Does Duke Energy Ohio support Green Button?▾
No. There is no Green Button Download My Data or Connect My Data. Residential customers can export smart-meter usage as XML from My Account, business customers export interval data via Business Experience, and third parties use EDI (HU/HI).
How does a supplier or aggregator pull our usage data?▾
PUCO-certified suppliers, aggregators, and brokers exchange data via EDI (ANSI X12 over NAESB EDM). With a signed customer authorization, they submit HU (monthly) or HI (15-minute interval) requests; aggregators/brokers are limited to a 12-month window and pay tariff-based fees for interval requests.
Is electricity supply in Duke Energy Ohio deregulated?▾
Yes. Ohio is a retail-choice (Energy Choice) state. Duke provides regulated delivery and a Standard Service Offer (Price to Compare) set by competitive auction, while customers may instead buy generation from a PUCO-certified competitive supplier. Natural gas supply is similarly open through Ohio Gas Customer Choice.
What distribution rate applies to a commercial customer?▾
Commercial/industrial customers with average demand above 15 kW typically take Rate DS (secondary voltage); larger customers served at 12,500V/34,500V take Rate DP (primary voltage). Rate DS carries a ~$33.56/month fixed charge, a distribution demand charge (~$6.97/kW plus riders), and tiered distribution energy charges (~$0.0136-$0.0164/kWh), with generation supplied via the SSO Price to Compare or a competitive supplier.
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