Help paying your electric bill in Ohio
Ohio got $181.2 million in the HHS table, about $38 for each of its 4,829,571 households. Income limit 175% of the poverty guideline; public line 614-466-6282. Heating help reached 254,217 households in FY2024.
Who to call in Ohio
- Ohio LIHEAP public line614-466-6282
- State program sitedevelopment.ohio.gov/is/is_energyassist.htm
- Public Utilities Commission of Ohio800-686-7826 · puco.ohio.gov · complaint form (links checked 2026-10-02)
Shutoff rules and moratoria in Ohio
Ohio: cold weather by dates; hot weather by none listed; health or age needs yes.
| Protection | Ohio |
|---|---|
| Colder months, by date | November 1 - April 15 Annual Winter Reconnect Order - between November 1 - April 15 customers can have their service restored or a disconnect prevented by paying no more than $175 and entering a payment plan. |
| Health or age needs | Thirty-day shutoff delay with doctor's note; doctor's note can also restore service within 21 days of shutoff and may be renewed up to three times within 12 months. |
Clearinghouse, April 2026; cites Disconnection procedures for electric, gas, and natural gas utilities.
Rule text read, 2 October 2026: Ohio Adm. Code 4901:1-18-06. Ohio utilities need at least 14 days' notice before disconnecting a delinquent residential customer, only in normal business hours and not after 12:30 p.m. before a day when reconnection is not regularly available. From November 1 to April 15 they must make an extra contact ten days before disconnection and explain assistance and payment plans. A medical certificate stops disconnection for 30 days. Quote: “may, after at least fourteen days' notice, disconnect the customer's service during normal utility company business hours”. Source: text of the rule (Cornell LII).
| Point | Ohio: Ohio Adm. Code 4901:1-18-06 |
|---|---|
| Winter / cold | Nov 1 - Apr 15: if the customer has not paid or arranged payment by the date on the 14-day notice, utility must not disconnect unless it also makes contact ten days before disconnection (personal, phone or hand-delivered; mail allowed with 3 calendar days added), tells the customer about government bill and weatherization aid, and informs of payment plans or PIPP plus; ten-day notice extends the date by ten days ((B)). The LII copy of (B) has leftover garbled text from an amendment (e.g. 'where the date of disconnection occurs within During the period...'). |
| Who is protected | Medical certification: no disconnection if it would be especially dangerous to a permanent resident's health or would stop medical/life-supporting equipment, certified by a licensed physician, PA, CNS, CNP, CNM or local board of health physician; certification prohibits disconnection for 30 calendar days; phone certification okay if written follows in 7 days; customer must enter an extended payment plan before the period ends ((C)). Customers may name a third party to get notice ((A)(3)). |
| Notice | At least 14 days' notice before disconnection, during normal business hours; no disconnection after 12:30 p.m. on the day before a day when reconnection services are not regularly performed; personal notice on the day of disconnection, or notice attached to the premises if nobody is home; notice may be on the bill if prominently identified ((A)). |
| Payment plan | Notice must explain payment plans under 4901:1-18-05 and PIPP plus; in Nov 1 - Apr 15 customers must be told of the right to enter payment plans ((A)(5)(g), (B)(3)). |
| Who the rule covers | Residential customers of electric, gas and natural gas utility companies under PUCO (title of rule: disconnection procedures for electric, gas, and natural gas utilities); co-ops/munis not addressed in text read. |
| Complaints | Notice must state: contact PUCO at 1-800-686-7826 (toll free) 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. weekdays, http://www.puco.ohio.gov; Ohio Consumers' Counsel 1-877-742-5622 ((A)(5)(d)). |
Not found in the text we read: heat; verify with the commission. Did not read rule 4901:1-18-05 (payment plans), PIPP rules, or the remainder of (C) and later paragraphs.
Paraphrase, not legal advice. Rules change; see the shutoff rules guide.
LIHEAP in Ohio: money, limits, people helped
| Measure | Ohio | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Funds FY2026 | $181,249,518 = $156,374,903 + $6,107,567 IIJA + $18,767,048 | FY26 table |
| Income limit | Heating and Crisis: 175% Federal Poverty Guidelines; (9+ household members at 60% State Median Income) Weatherization: 200% Federal Poverty Guidelines | snapshot 19 Aug 2026 |
| Benefits FY2026 | Heating: $24 minimum, $441 maximum Winter Crisis: $1,200 Summer Crisis: $800 Weatherization: $8,547 | snapshot 19 Aug 2026 |
| Helped FY2024 | Heating : 254,217 Winter Crisis: 76,800 Summer Crisis: 44,810 Weatherization: 4,023 | snapshot 19 Aug 2026 |
| Program dates | Heating: October 1 - May 31 Winter Crisis: November 1 - March 31 Summer Crisis: July 1 - September 30 Weatherization: October 1 - June 30 | snapshot 19 Aug 2026 |
CSV
CSVOhio in numbers
- Ohio ranks 23rd of 51 on FY26 LIHEAP dollars per household ($38), 12th on households below the poverty line (13.3%) and 23rd on low-income energy burden (9.3%).
- Per household below the poverty line (641,589 of them) the FY26 funds come to $283, rank 30th of 51: 16% of a typical year's electricity ($1,798). (even split, not a payment amount)
- 254,261 households got help in FY2022 against 1,332,873 at or below 60% of state median income in the 2022 LEAD file: about 19% (mixed years).
- Average heating benefit FY2022: $312, 17% of that year.
- Heating season: October 1 - May 31. Counted FY2024: heating, winter crisis, summer crisis, weatherization.
- Neighbours: FY26 dollars per household run from $32 (Kentucky) to $49 (West Virginia); low-income burden from 9.4% (Indiana) to 11.8% (West Virginia). Ohio: $38 and 9.3%.
Where Ohio's low-income bills bite hardest
- Highest burden: Jackson County 14.4% (4,403 households); Wyandot County 13.0% (2,404 households); Noble County 12.7% (1,660 households); Williams County 12.7% (4,317 households).
- Most low-income households: Cuyahoga County 174,587 (9.4%); Franklin County 135,452 (9.3%); Hamilton County 99,982 (7.8%).
88 counties.
Am I likely eligible in Ohio?
Median household income in Ohio is $69,680, 211% of the four-person guideline; check line 175% (2026 guideline).
How heavy is the energy bill in Ohio?
9.3% of income in low-income households, 2.6% overall. Ranking, Ohio prices.
| Group | Count | Ohio detail | Standing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 60% of median income | 1,332,873 households | 9.3% of income; $1,838 a year on $19,725 | rank 23 of 51 |
| All households | 4,789,408 households | 2.6%; $2,274 on $86,015 | rank 22 of 51 |
| Below poverty line | 641,589 households | 13.3% of 4,829,571 | U.S. 12.5%; rank 12 of 51 |
| Home price 2025 | 16.96 ¢/kWh | bill $150 a month at 883 kWh | U.S. 17.30 ¢, $152 |
CSV
CSVUtility and state bill programs in Ohio
- PIPP Plus Ohio's regulated gas and electric utilities are mandated to participate in the statewide PIPP. Low-income customers who heat with natural gas pay 6 percent of their monthly income or $10 (whichever is greater) to their gas or...
- Eligibility: must receive primary or secondary heat source from a company regulated by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, total household income must be 150 percent FPG or below, and, if eligible, must apply for all energy...
- PIPP is administered by the Ohio Department of Development’s HEAP (or LIHEAP) office. 1-800-282-0880 (Ohio HEAP) http://development.ohio.gov/is/is_pipp.htm Contact local community action agencies at...
- Winter Reconnect Program Allows residential customers of regulated utilities that have been disconnected or are threatened with disconnection due to non-payment of a utility bill to have service restored by paying either the total amount they owe or...
Excerpts, section of 20 Apr 2026. Utilities: Allegheny Power, American Electric Power, Columbia Gas, Columbus Southern Power (AEP), Consolidated Electric Co-op, Dayton Power & Light and 12 more.
Ohio on the map
Next to Ohio
Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania, West Virginia. Most FY26 funds per household: West Virginia, $49. Ohio: $38. All 51.
5 steps if you get a shutoff notice in Ohio
- Note the notice date.
- Call the utility (Public Utilities Commission of Ohio sets rules).
- Call 614-466-6282 or 211.
- Ask about dates-based or health protection.
- Unresolved: Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, 800-686-7826.
Sources
Linked above; list on the hub.
Last verified: 2 October 2026. Not legal advice.
Questions
How much LIHEAP money does Ohio get?
$181.2 million in FY2026, $38 per household, rank 23 of 51.
What income limit does Ohio use for LIHEAP?
$47,810 for three people at 175% of the guideline; median household income $69,680; FY2022 heating standard 206% for four.
How do I apply for LIHEAP in Ohio?
Call 614-466-6282. Site: http://development.ohio.gov/is/is_energyassist.htm
Can Ohio utilities cut power in winter or summer?
dates for cold; none listed for heat.
How big is the energy burden in Ohio?
9.3% of income for low-income households, 2.6% for all; $1,838 a year for the first group.
How many Ohio households got energy help?
254,261 in FY2022, 254,217 heating in FY2024, average heating benefit $312.
Is LIHEAP money enough for a Ohio bill?
$283 per poor household, 16% of $1,798.