FAQs

A CRES is a Competitive Retail Electric Service Provider.

Put simply, there are three major components in supplying electricity:

• Generation (the actual electricity supply)
• Transmission (large transmission lines and towers that carry electricity over longer distances)
• Distribution (local electric poles and wires)

In Ohio, customers are free to choose who supplies, in some instances, the Generation and Transmission portion of their electricity service. They can purchase these services from a Competitive Retail Electric Service (CRES) provider.

Initial switches are free. We will charge a switch fee for subsequent switches, if applicable, to the provider you choose. Please visit Making the Switch for details.

After you agree to switch electric providers, we will send a letter to you in the mail informing you that we’ve been notified of this switch. If you wish to object to the switch, instructions are given on how to.

No. Your SDI number is unique, and is 17 digits long. It can be found on the bill in the charges section. Depending on your specific account, you may have more than one SDI (for example, you have metered service and non-metered lights at your premise).

Yes. You will continue to receive charges for distribution (the local poles and wires that distribute electricity to your house). Your CRES provider may opt to place their charges on our bill as well, or send you a separate statement.

In compliance with Ohio Administrative Code 4901:1-10-29 (E), we supply eligible-customer lists available to CRES providers that contain customer name, service and mailing address, rate schedule, load profile, meter type, meter read date and historical consumption data for each of the most recent twelve months.

To opt-off this pre-enrollment (eligible-customer) list, visit Opt Off/Opt Onto Shared Customer List.

No, you do not have to change your meter.

You should continue to call us during an outage.

You must contact your respective CRES provider, who will “drop” you back to AEP Ohio.

AEP Ohio will continue reading your electric meter.

Once payments are received, and depending on what type of billing you have-AEP Ohio pays the CRES provider their portion.

Your price-to-compare is your total generation charges divided by total kWh usage.

To maintain accurate billing for both AEP Ohio and the CRES, switching only occurs on the meter read date.

State law prevents regulated utilities, such as AEP Ohio, from providing any information about competitive retail electric suppliers. You can find the latest offers and certified suppliers on the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio’s website. The PUCO has information about how to shop for an electricity supplier as well.