Folks in the Mahoning Valley and beyond will have to pay a little bit more for electricity soon.

According to Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council's (NOPEC's) website, PJM Interconnection, who manages the electricity grid for 13 states including Ohio held a capacity auction that resulted in drastically higher capacity prices.

These higher prices will soon be passed on to consumers throughout Ohio and the Mahoning Valley. NOPEC says capacity prices increased by 800%, meaning the electricity costs could go up between 10 to 15% for Ohio customers.

That translates to about two cents more per kilowatt-hour. 

NOPEC says the reason for the rate increase is increased demand for electricity driven by economic and population growth, greater use of electronic devices and more extreme weather patterns.

Folks can expect to see these rate increases as early as June of 2025 and those rates will remain in effect until May of 2026. Higher electricity prices are expected to last for the next three to five years until incremental electricity generation capacity is added.

In the meantime, NOPEC has offered the following tips to prepare for these higher electricity costs:

- Invest in energy-efficient products and lighting

- Install smart thermostats to reduce energy consumption when you're not at home

- Improve home insulation and seal any drafts to maintain indoor temperatures more efficiently

- Consider installing solar panels or otherwise renewable energy sources to offset electricity costs

- Conduct an energy audit to identify areas where you could reduce your energy usage

- Simple changes like turning off lights when not in use, unplugging devices and using energy-efficient appliances during off-peak hours can make a difference