SHUTOFF NOTICE?Call AEP Ohio (Ohio Power) at 800-672-2231 before the date on the notice and ask for a payment arrangement. If someone in the home is seriously ill, ask about a medical certificate. Apply for energy assistance at the same time.
Help with a bill you cannot pay
Neighbor to Neighbor Bill Pay Assistance
- What
- A utility assistance grant of up to $500, applied directly to the bill. Run with Dollar Energy Fund. One grant per program year.
- Who
- Ohio Power customers with household income within 300% of the federal poverty income guidelines, a balance of at least $50 that is at least 30 days behind, and at least $75 paid in the three months before applying. Not for PIPP customers. You must first apply for HEAP, Winter Crisis or Summer Crisis.
- How
- Apply online through the Dollar Energy Fund application or in person at a community agency.
Payment plans and more time to pay
Percentage of Income Payment Plan Plus (PIPP Plus)
- What
- A state plan that sets your monthly payment by income: 10% of household income for electric-heated homes, or 5% for electric when you heat with gas. Minimum payment of $10. After 24 on-time, in-full payments in a row, the past-due balance is eliminated.
- Who
- Ohioans with gross annual income at or below 175 percent of the federal poverty guidelines.
- How
- Apply through the State of Ohio. Call 800-282-0880.
Payment Arrangement
- What
- A monthly payment plan to pay off your past-due balance in full over a few months, with a down payment and the rest added to later bills.
- Who
- Customers with a past-due balance. Log in to check eligibility.
- How
- Log in to your online account or call 800-672-2231.
Winter Heating Season Plan
- What
- Lets you pay 1/3 of your total account balance each month by the due date during the winter. The plan runs through April 15.
- Who
- Ohio customers during the winter months.
- How
- Call the Customer Solutions Center at 800-672-2231.
Payment Extension
- What
- A one-time extension that gives you a little more time to pay a bill in full.
- Who
- Customers who can pay in full but need a few more days.
- How
- Log in to your online account.
Budget billing
Average Monthly Payment (AMP)
- What
- Spreads your energy costs over the year so you pay about the same amount each month, based on a rolling 12-month average.
- Who
- Ohio Power residential customers. Applies only to Ohio Power charges.
- How
- Log in to your online account and enroll.
Budget Billing Plan
- What
- You pay a set amount for 11 months based on your 12-month average use, with a settle-up in the anniversary month.
- Who
- Residential customers.
- How
- Call 800-672-2231.
Free home energy upgrades
High Efficiency for Low-Income Program (HELP)
- What
- A free in-home energy assessment and low- or no-cost upgrades such as heating and cooling equipment, water heaters, refrigerators, air sealing and weatherization. Applications are paused for 2026 and will reopen in the fall for 2027.
- Who
- Ohio Power residential customers with household income less than or equal to 300% of the federal poverty level guidelines. Renters need landlord permission.
- How
- Apply through the program page when applications reopen.
Other programs
Third-Party Notification
- What
- A free service that sends a relative or friend a notice when your service is at risk of disconnection. The third party does not have to pay the bill.
- Who
- Any customer. Often used for older, ill or disabled customers.
- How
- Print, sign and mail the Third-Party Authorization Form.
State energy assistance in Ohio
Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), with the HEAP Winter Crisis and Summer Crisis Programs, run by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS), helps households with low income pay heating and cooling bills (the federal LIHEAP program). Apply through Ohio's Energy Assistance Programs. Use the Community Assistance Providers Map to find your local provider. HEAP is a once-yearly payment applied to your heating or cooling bill. Official page.
When the utility cannot shut off service in Ohio
- Cold weather: No shutoff for nonpayment from November first through April fifteenth unless the utility first makes contact ten days before (and meets other steps in the rule). Special Reconnect Order: once per winter heating season (typically mid-October through mid-April), any residential customer can pay $175 (plus up to $36 reconnection fee) to keep or restore service.
- Medical: Certification by a licensed physician, physician assistant, clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse practitioner, certified nurse-midwife, or local board of health physician prohibits shutoff for thirty calendar days. It can be renewed two more times; total no more than ninety days per household in any twelve-month period.
Rule: Ohio Adm. Code 4901:1-18-06. Official text. The protections have conditions: read the rule or ask the utility. You still owe the bill.
To see what your bill should be, use the AEP Ohio (Ohio Power) bill calculator. To lower it, see the plans and the appliance cost tool. All programs: AEP Ohio (Ohio Power) assistance page.
How can I get help paying my AEP Ohio (Ohio Power) bill?
Call AEP Ohio (Ohio Power) before the due date and ask for a payment arrangement, apply for energy assistance, and ask about its bill assistance programs. This page lists each program with its official link.
Can AEP Ohio (Ohio Power) shut off my power in winter?
The Ohio rule: No shutoff for nonpayment from November first through April fifteenth unless the utility first makes contact ten days before (and meets other steps in the rule). Special Reconnect Order: once per winter heating season (typically mid-October through mid-April), any residential customer can pay $175 (plus up to $36 reconnection fee) to keep or restore service. The rule has conditions, and you still owe the bill.
utilityratecalc.com is not part of AEP Ohio (Ohio Power) or a government agency. Programs and amounts change: the official page of each program has the current rules. Checked October 21, 2026.