Universal Service Charge
FirstEnergy
Current Rate
0.2196¢/kWh
Est. 2000
Funds the low-income Universal Service Fund and associated customer assistance programs.
📜 History & Background
The Universal Service Charge (USF) funds Ohio's Universal Service Fund, which provides bill assistance and energy efficiency services to low-income electric customers. Ohio law (ORC § 4928.51) requires all electric utilities and competitive suppliers to contribute to the USF. The fund supports programs including: Ohio Percentage of Income Payment Plan Plus (PIPP Plus), which caps low-income customer payments; the Home Energy Assistance Winter Crisis Program; and weatherization assistance. The Ohio Development Services Agency (ODSA) administers USF programs, which collectively serve hundreds of thousands of low-income Ohio households.
⚙️ How It Works
The USF rider charges approximately 0.22¢/kWh to all residential customers, creating a pool of funds that PUCO and ODSA use to provide bill assistance and weatherization services to income-qualified Ohioans. The rate is set periodically based on program funding needs.
🔒 If You Switch Suppliers
Non-bypassable and also required of competitive suppliers — Ohio law requires CRES providers to contribute to the USF as well, so you will see this charge regardless of whether you are on utility default service or a third-party supplier.