TOLEDO, Ohio — FirstEnergy customers saw a 50% price increase from last year, but there may now be some relief on the way.
"Goodness, a break on energy bill would be wonderful," said FirstEnergy customer Emily Mays said of a potential price break.
FirstEnergy is paying about 27% less for electricity at auction this year, according to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. That lower price at auction means a drop in the default rate for many communities.
These savings are expected to be passed down to customers' price to compare charges.
"There is a high probability that the PTC will go down from what customers have been paying the previous several months, so that's great for consumers," said FirstEnergy spokesperson Brittany Al Dawood.
She said while FirstEnergy customers might see a change in price in June, people might actually be able to save now.
"In Ohio, you have the right to shop for electricity, just like you have the right to shop for products or services," Al Dawood said. "The way you can do that is by choosing or not choosing. It's your choice, a competitive energy supplier."
You can do this by taking the PTC on your bill and comparing it with other energy suppliers on Energy Choice Ohio's website.
Mays said she plans to stay with FirstEnergy and looks forward to a possible price change.
"We're all on a budget trying to struggle with these harder economic times. So, if someone's going to alleviate our pain and give us a break, I'm here for it," she said.
It is not yet clear when the auction will be finalized. But if it is, you can expect to see rates decrease on June 1.