First-Time Electricity Switcher Checklist and Beginner's Guide

Understanding Your Right to Choose

Electricity deregulation in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts gives you the legal right to choose who supplies your electricity. What stays the same:

🏢 Your utility (AEP Ohio, PECO, Eversource) still delivers electricity
🔧 Utility maintains power lines
⚡ Service reliability and outage response remain identical

What changes when you switch:

🔌 Who generates your electricity
💰 What rate you pay for generation

💡 Key concept: Delivery and supply are separate. Understanding this separation is the foundation for confident electricity shopping.

Step 1 - Gather Your Information

Before comparing rates, collect essential information from your current electricity bill. Information to locate:

🏢 Utility company name
🔢 Account number (typically 10-20 digits, first page)
🏠 Rate class — usually "Residential" or "RS"
💵 Current supply rate in cents/kWh (supply or generation section)
📊 Monthly and annual usage in kWh

💡 Why this matters: Having this information ready makes rate shopping efficient and ensures you compare plans accurately based on your actual usage patterns.

Step 2 - Check Your Current Supply Status

Determine whether you have a competitive supplier or default utility service. How to check:

📄 Look at your bill's supply charges section
🏢 If your utility name appears → you're on default service (can switch without penalty)
🏪 If another company name appears → you have an existing supplier contract

If you have an existing supplier:

📅 Check contract for end date
💵 Check for early termination fees
📞 Call supplier or check online portal for exact details

✅ This status check prevents unexpected fees and helps time your switch appropriately.

Step 3 - Compare Rates Using Official Tools

Use your state's official rate comparison website to view available offers. Official comparison tools:

🔴 Ohio: Apples to Apples at energychoice.ohio.gov
🔵 Pennsylvania: PAPowerSwitch at papowerswitch.com
🟣 Massachusetts: Utility comparison tools

What to compare:

💰 Price per kWh
📅 Contract term length
💵 Monthly fees (if any)
📊 Fixed vs. variable rate

💡 Calculate estimated costs: Multiply rates by your typical usage. Official tools ensure you see legitimate offers from licensed suppliers.

Step 4 - Evaluate Offers Beyond Price

The lowest advertised rate isn't always the best value. Check for hidden costs:

💵 Monthly service fees
📊 Minimum usage charges
📋 Costs beyond the per-kWh rate

Understand rate types:

🔒 Fixed rate: Stays constant throughout your contract
📈 Variable rate: Changes monthly with market conditions

Review contract terms:

📅 Contract length
💰 Early termination fees
🌱 Renewable energy options (if environmental impact matters)
📋 What happens when your contract ends

⚠️ Read the terms of service document — specifically cancellation policies and billing practices. Thorough evaluation prevents surprises.

Step 5 - Verify Supplier Legitimacy

Before enrolling, confirm your chosen supplier is legitimately licensed. Official licensing verification:

🔴 Ohio: PUCO certified suppliers list at puco.ohio.gov
🔵 Pennsylvania: PA PUC licensed suppliers at puc.pa.gov
🟣 Massachusetts: DPU licensed supplier verification

Additional checks:

⭐ Online reviews and Better Business Bureau ratings
🔢 Suppliers can provide their license number upon request

⚠️ Red flags:

🚪 Door-to-door sales not listed on official comparison websites
📞 Phone solicitations with deals too good to be true

✅ Legitimate suppliers always appear on state comparison tools.

Step 6 - Complete Your Enrollment

Enrolling with a new supplier takes about 10 minutes online or over the phone. Information you'll need:

🔢 Utility account number
📍 Service address
👤 Personal information

During enrollment:

📅 Confirm your desired start date (typically 1-2 billing cycles from enrollment)
📋 Review all terms: rate, term length, fees, cancellation policy
✅ Submit enrollment

What happens next:

📧 Confirmation via email or mail within a few days
⚡ Your current service continues uninterrupted
🔄 New supplier coordinates switch with your utility

📁 Keep enrollment confirmation documents until your first bill reflects the change.

Step 7 - After Enrollment Checklist

After enrolling, complete this checklist: Watch for notifications:

📧 Confirmation from your new supplier
📄 Switch notification from your utility
📊 First bill showing new supplier (1-2 billing cycles)

Verify your new rate:

📋 Compare new bill against old bills
✅ Verify rate matches your contract
📞 Contact supplier immediately if anything seems incorrect

Set up for the future:

📆 Set calendar reminder 60-90 days before contract ends
📁 Keep contract documents accessible
📊 Track monthly costs to evaluate savings

💡 Organized record-keeping simplifies future rate shopping.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will switching suppliers interrupt my electricity service?

No, your electricity service continues completely uninterrupted when switching suppliers. Your utility company still delivers electricity and responds to outages exactly as before. The only change is which company generates your electricity and what you pay for that generation. The switch happens through billing systems, not physical infrastructure.

How long does the switching process take?

Switching typically takes one to two billing cycles, approximately 30 to 60 days from enrollment to your first bill with the new supplier. You can enroll up to 90 days in advance and specify a future start date to align with your current contract expiration or preferred timing.

What if I change my mind after enrolling?

Most states require suppliers to offer a cancellation period after enrollment, typically 3 to 7 business days in Ohio and Pennsylvania. During this rescission period, you can cancel without penalty. After this period, your contract terms including any early termination fees apply. Check your enrollment confirmation for specific cancellation deadlines.

Do I need to contact my current utility to switch?

No, you don't need to contact your utility or current supplier. When you enroll with a new supplier, they handle all coordination with your utility automatically. Your utility processes the switch based on the new supplier's enrollment notification. You simply choose and enroll with your new supplier.

What if I'm renting and the utility is in my name?

If you pay your electricity bill directly, meaning the utility account is in your name, you have full authority to choose your electricity supplier regardless of renting. Your landlord has no involvement in your supplier choice. If your landlord pays electricity as part of rent, you cannot independently choose a supplier for that service address.

About the author

Brad Gregory

Consumer Advocate

Brad moved from California to Texas in 2009 and got confused by electricity shopping—something that didn't exist where he came from. That confusion led him to build ComparePower.com. At ElectricRates.org, he's applying the same approach to Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts.

Energy plan comparisonCustomer experienceDeregulated electricity marketsEnergy shopping strategiesResidential rate comparison

Topics covered

first-time-switcher electricity-shopping beginner-guide switching-checklist rate-comparison new-customer

Sources & References

PUCO - Electric Choice (Public Utilities Commission of Ohio): "PUCO provides official shopping guidance and certified supplier lists for Ohio consumers"Accessed Jan 2025
PAPowerSwitch (Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission): "PA Power Switch is the official Pennsylvania electricity shopping comparison tool"Accessed Jan 2025

Last updated: December 10, 2025