Cincinnati electricity: the city program, Duke Energy and your choices

It is a city deal that buys power for every home from one supplier, unless the home opts out. Ohio law lets a city do this. It asks voters to approve it, picks one supplier by bid and signs up homes unless they say no. The City of Cincinnati's Office of Environment and Sustainability posts the rate and the supplier. The supplier today is Dynegy Energy Services.

Duke Energy Ohio still owns the wires, fixes outages and sends one bill. Only the price of the power itself changes. Gas is a separate city program with a different supplier.

It is 10.44¢ per kWh to the November 2026 meter read, then 10.67¢ to June 2027 and 11.375¢ to November 2027, says Dynegy. Dynegy posts the schedule for Cincinnati homes on its own program page. The page labels every price in it a "100% renewable energy price". The default product is a "100% Variable Green Price", so the price varies after the first term. What does that green label buy? Our green plans guide explains it.

The two sources do not agree on one point. The city's page says the contract runs "until May 2029". Dynegy's contract terms say the Contract End Date is June 2028. Ask the city or Dynegy which one applies to your account before you plan around it.

Some months it is and some months it is not, because Duke's price moves each month. Duke's price to compare is printed on your bill. Type it in with your kWh, and the tool shows which choice costs less for the power, in dollars.

1. 1
   Find Duke's price.

   Look in "Billing details, Electric" on your bill.

2. 2
   Type your kWh.

   Use the "kWh used" line.

3. 3
   Pick the city rate.

   Choose the period that matches your bill.

4. 4
   Add an offer (optional).

   Type a supplier's price and monthly fee to see it too.

5. 5
   Read the result.

   It names the cheapest choice at your kWh, with the cost a month and a year.

The result puts each choice side by side in dollars a month and a year, so you see what staying or leaving costs you. It is an estimate of the supply price only. It leaves out delivery, taxes and any fee on your bill. Duke's price moves, so run it again each month. Nothing you type is sent or saved.

Most city homes that did not opt out are in, with three exceptions the city lists. A home must be current on its payments to its current provider. It cannot be in the Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP). It cannot be under contract with another supplier.

Call the city at 513-352-5344, and call PUCO if you want to stay off the list for good. Ohio's rules say a city must give you at least 21 days from the postmark of its notice to opt out. Every three years it must send you a new notice, which is a fresh opportunity to leave. The notice says you can return to Duke's price with no penalty.

1. DecideCheck the tool above. If Duke's price beats the city rate for the months you care about, you may want out.
2. Call the cityCall 513-352-5344 and ask to be taken off the program at your address.
3. Call the stateTo stay off for good, call PUCO at 1-800-686-7826. Moving or a new contract can still put you back in.
4. Watch your billYour next bill should show Duke's price to compare in place of the city rate.

You can also rejoin. Ask the city or Dynegy. If you leave and later come back, ask what rate you would get, because it may not match the schedule above.

Maybe. The state's chart lists what suppliers sell in the Duke area today. 43 of 150 offers are priced below Duke's price to compare of 10.49¢. Only 4 of them are fixed for 12 months or more with no fees. The lowest of those is 9.95¢ from AEP Energy Inc.

Two warnings. Leaving the program is free, but a new supplier's contract may charge a cancel fee and a monthly fee. And the city rate has no monthly fee. Add each fee at your kWh before you compare. Our Ohio rates guide shows how, the supplier guide shows how to check a name, and the contract ending guide shows what a cancel fee can cost.

About 17%, by the city's own count for past years, and no one promises that for this year. The city's energy manager told Local12 in February 2025 that the program saved about 17% off Duke's rate over five or six years. That is the city's number, for a past period. It is not a promise for this year.

The same report cited an Ohio State study. It found that 72% of alternative electric offers from 2014 to 2023 did not save money, and they averaged 33% more than Duke. Those numbers describe individual offers. A city program is bought in bulk, so it may do better or worse. The honest test is the one in the tool: your kWh, Duke's price this month, and the city rate.

A rate case changes the delivery half of your bill, whoever sells you power. Our high bill guide shows how to tell a delivery rise from a supply rise on your own bill.