👋 Alissa here. It's the hottest time of the year and air conditioners are working overtime. I recently shopped around for a cheaper electricity supplier for the first time and here's how others can do the same.

Why it matters: You could save a handful of dollars monthly — which adds up as electricity prices keep surging.

How it works: For those unfamiliar with the "shopping" concept, it's best to first learn how to read an electric bill.

It has three major costs: Generation (producing the electricity at a power plant), transmission (moving it) and distribution (delivering it to homes from substations).

• AEP Ohio handles all three for most Columbus homes by default, but Ohioans have been able to choose an alternative supplier to reduce generation costs since 2001.
• View the costs on page 3 of this AEP Ohio sample bill.

Reality check: Don't expect to save a ton. Transmission and distribution costs won't change, which is why bills still come from AEP Ohio even after a supplier switch.

Next step: Find your generation rate. Page 3 of that sample bill also includes AEP Ohio's "price to compare."

• From July 1 to Sept. 30, it's $0.1097 per kilowatt-hour (kWh).
• That's about twice as expensive as five years ago.

To shop, visit the state's Energy Choice Ohio website and search for suppliers with lower rates.

Pro tips: This is where it gets tricky, if you want long-term consistency.

• Some suppliers offer fixed rates, while others' rates are variable.
• They may also offer temporary promotions, including the kind offered by door-to-door salespeople. If you don't pay attention, prices can skyrocket after the promotional period ends.
• You can filter searches to avoid early termination fees and variability.

Zoom in: In Columbus, one slightly cheaper option is the city's clean energy aggregation program through AEP Energy. Its rate is $0.1001/kWh through June 2027.

• Several suburbs also have aggregation programs, which allow governments to pool their purchasing power.

Ultimately, I picked a fixed rate of $0.0980 with CleanChoice Energy for 12 months that I can cancel anytime.

• It seemed like a middle ground, with savings but no need to shop constantly.
• For a 1,000 kWh month — around what I used in May and June — my bill will be about $12 cheaper.

What's next: I signed up for email alerts when AEP Ohio rates change, to ensure I'm still getting a deal.

• I also plan to look into cheaper gas rates in the fall, before heating bills rise.

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Americans spent an average estimated $158 monthly on their home electric bills last year, per a new Axios analysis of data collected and shared by climate newsroom Heatmap News.

Zoom in: Franklin County's average was slightly lower, at $142 per month.

😬 Alissa's thought bubble: This is one space where I don't want to be above-average. Time to adjust the thermostat.

Go deeper

A Columbus police officer accused of strangling his girlfriend recently resigned from the department. (Dispatch)

🚲 Columbus' longest protected bike lane has been installed on North Fourth Street. (WOSU)

💥 South Village Grille in German Village is closed temporarily after being struck by a car. (614 Magazine)

💰 Ohio will pay over $500,000 to Marcus Sapp, a Hamilton County man wrongly imprisoned for 13 years on a murder conviction that was overturned. (WVXU)

This year's lineup of outrageous Ohio State Fair food has been set.

The intrigue: The fair announced over two dozen new food and drink options, ranging from ridiculous fried things to trend-chasing adaptations of Dubai chocolate and dirty soda.

Five of the wildest new options:

🧀 Caribbean Jerk Cheesesteak, Marlow's Cheesesteaks

• A "Caribbean twist" on cheesesteak, with seasoned chopped chicken breast tossed in jerk sauce with melted cheese, sautéed onions and hot peppers.

🍓 Dubai Chocolate Covered Strawberries, Lordy's Elephant Ears

• Strawberries drizzled with pistachio cream and Belgian chocolate sprinkled with roasted kadaifi.

🍟 Hot Blue Taki Fries, Prowant Specialty

• Fries smothered in cheddar cheese sauce and finished with a dusting of Blue Heat Takis.

🍕 Pick Me Hot Chicken Pizza, GH Concessions

• Pizza dough topped with mozzarella, chicken, pickles, sriracha and a drizzle of honey.

🥓 Pork Belly in a Cone, Mr. Pork Belly

• It comes with a choice of four sauces.

The full list of new offerings

When the biggest MLB stars take the field for tonight's All-Star Game, your hometown Clippers will be well-represented.

⚾️ State of play: Five former Clippers made the American League team.

A trio of Cleveland Guardians lead the way:

• Second baseman Travis Bazzana, the Guardians' No. 1 overall draft pick in 2024, played in Columbus last season.
• Starting pitcher Parker Messick played here last spring before Cleveland called him up in August.
• Relief pitcher Cade Smith became a dominant late-game arm for the Guardians after a stint with the Clippers in 2023.

Plus: A pair no longer with the Guardians organization.

• Toronto second baseman Ernie Clement, who starts the All-Star Game for the AL, played 57 games with Columbus from 2019-2022.
• Tampa Bay designated hitter Yandy Díaz played here on and off from 2015-2018.