It's not just numbers 🎱

Public Utilities Commission of Ohio sent this bulletin at 08/28/2025 10:00 AM EDT

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Go beyond the stats

Last year, the PUCO:

Received nearly 60,000 calls, emails, letters and more from consumers (enough to fill Nationwide Arena 3x!)
Sent Rate Change Alerts to 16,500 new subscribers, giving them immediate access to price changes
Attended 174 outreach events across the state, educating and informing real Ohioans about their utilities
And more!

Learn more about the PUCO's work and how we reach every Ohioan in this year's annual report.

News Bureau: 10 years of residential electricity bills

How have power bills changed for everyday Ohioans over the last 10 years? What impacts your bill to drive these changes? Let’s take a look at the data.

Learn how distribution, transmission and generation rates have changed over the years.

HB 15 updates

House Bill 15 became effective on Aug. 14, 2025. Check out the last PUCO rulemaking cases to implement the new law.

Read: Implementing HB15 part II

Summer crisis program still available

The Summer Crisis Program can help qualifying Ohioans keep their homes cool when it's hot outside.

From now until September 30, program participants can receive a payment to assist with electric utility bills, central AC repairs, and AC unit and/or fan purchases.

Check eligibility requirements here.

Upcoming outreach and workshops

Summer may be on the home stretch, but you can still find PUCO staff answering utility questions and helping consumers at these outreach events:

Additionally, the PUCO will be holding the following rules workshops in September:

Sep. 4: Case 25-815-AU-ORD, Commission Review of the Standard Filing Requirements for Rate Increases
Sep. 16: Case 25-814-EL-UNC, Commission Review of the Potential Use and Deployment of Advanced Transmission Technologies
Sep. 19: Case 25-814-EL-UNC, Commission Review of the Potential Use and Deployment of Advanced Transmission Technologies
Sep. 24: Case 25-765-EL-UNC, In the Matter of Establishing Uniform Reporting Standards for Distribution System Hosting Capacity Maps

OPSB approves construction of solar project in Fairfield County

The Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB) has approved an agreement allowing Eastern Cottontail Solar, LLC to construct a 220-megawatt solar-powered electric generation facility in Walnut Township in Fairfield County.

The Eastern Cottontail Solar facility will consist of large arrays of photovoltaic modules, commonly referred to as solar panels, secured on a single-axis tracker racking system. The project will occupy 898 acres within a 1,550-acre project area and will include associated facilities such as access roads, underground collection lines, inverters, and a substation.

Eastern Cottontail Solar must adhere to 64 conditions designed to minimize potential impacts during the construction and operation of the facility.

More information about this project and other business from the OPSB's monthly meeting is available here.

Rail crossing upgrades approved

In August, the PUCO approved over $2.2 million in rail crossing safety upgrades across four Ohio counties.

Ann Arbor Railroad will install flashing lights and gates at the Erie Street grade crossing in Lucas County.
Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad will install flashing lights and gates at the State Route 162/East Main Street grade crossing in Medina County.
Indiana & Ohio Railway Company will install flashing lights and gates with surface reconstruction at the Western Row Road grade crossing in Warren County.
Norfolk Southern Railway will install advanced traffic preemption at the S. Main Street and S. River Street grade crossings in Warren County.
Muskingum County EMA and the railroads will install railroad interconnect and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems at grade crossings on State Street, Linden Avenue, Main Street, East Main Street, and SR 719. The SCADA system detects if a crossing is occupied by a train and alerts 911 dispatchers to reroute emergency responders during emergency runs.

More info about the PUCO's rail safety programs is available here.

Spot a scam before it happens

Unfortunately, scam season never stops — all year long, scammers try to impersonate your utility to swindle you out of your hard-earned money.

Just remember these simple tips:

❌Your utility company does not want you to pay your bill with a gift card.
❌Your utility company will not threaten you with disconnection over the phone.
❌Your utility company will not solicit door-to-door or attempt to gain access to your home without an existing appointment.

Learn more about how to protect you and your loved ones from scams here.

Get updates when your rate changes

Receive an instant email or text notification when your utility changes their generation rates or natural gas prices.

Join the PUCO

Interested in joining our team? The PUCO employs engineers, lawyers, analysts, accountants, customer service representatives, human resource professionals, auditors and many more!

Positions are posted regularly to Careers.Ohio.gov. Use the filter to select "Public Utilities Commission" to see all open jobs.

View all open positions at Careers.Ohio.gov.

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The PUCO is committed to providing access and inclusion and reasonable accommodation in its services, activities, programs, and employment opportunities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws. To request a reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stephanie Kamer at (614) 644-9746 or stephanie.kamer@puco.ohio.gov as soon as possible.