Medical Office Electricity Costs in Ohio: 2026 Buying Guide

Updated October 15, 2026Ohio Commercial Energy editorial teamHow we review content Book a free 15-min bill review

How much electricity do medical offices use?

CBECS 2018 puts diagnostic medical offices at about 14.9 kWh per square foot per year and clinics at about 18.9; non-diagnostic medical offices (which EIA counts as offices) average about 12.8.

Illustrative site	Annual use	Est. peak demand	Est. capacity tag	Capacity cost at 2026/27 price	Value of 0.5¢/kWh
5,000 ft²	74,500 kWh	21 kW	18 kW	$2,171/yr (≈2.9¢/kWh)	$372/yr
15,000 ft²	224,000 kWh	64 kW	54 kW	$6,514/yr (≈2.9¢/kWh)	$1,118/yr
40,000 ft²	596,000 kWh	170 kW	145 kW	$17,371/yr (≈2.9¢/kWh)	$2,980/yr

How these numbers are built: annual use = 14.9 kWh/ft² (EIA CBECS 2018 Table C22, medical office (diagnostic) (mean; median 11.0)). Peak demand assumes a 40% load factor; the capacity tag assumes 85% of that peak falls in the grid's summer peak hours. Capacity cost uses PJM's 2026/27 clearing price of $329.17/MW-day (about $120 per kW-year) before utility scaling factors. These are illustrations for sizing a decision — your own bills and interval data are what suppliers price.

Where the electricity goes

Ventilation is about 32% of outpatient electricity in CBECS and lighting about 19%; imaging and lab equipment add sharp but short demand spikes.

When the load peaks — and why that matters for price

Median outpatient operating hours are 45 a week — a weekday daytime profile with low nights and weekends, and a summer afternoon cooling peak.

In Ohio's PJM market, the capacity part of your generation cost is set by how much you use during the grid's few highest summer peak hours. With a 40% load factor and about 85% of the site peak landing in those hours, capacity alone works out to roughly 2.9¢ per kWh at the 2026/27 price of $329.17/MW-day — compared with about 0.3¢ at the 2024/25 price of $28.92. That jump, not the energy price, explains most of the 2025–2026 increase in Ohio business electricity bills.

How medical offices in Ohio buy electricity

Most single practices are small-commercial accounts eligible for aggregation and standard fixed offers; health systems with many outpatient sites buy them as a portfolio.

If you…	Usually consider
need a fixed monthly budget	a 12–36 month fixed price with capacity included (fixed vs variable)
can move load away from summer peak hours	a product that passes capacity through at cost, so reducing your capacity tag lowers your bill
use more than 700,000 kWh a year at a site	an interval-data RFP, block-and-index structures, and HB 15's behind-the-meter options
are 700,000 kWh a year or less and never chose a supplier	first check whether you're already in a community aggregation program

Ohio rules that affect this industry

Practices that lease space should confirm whether electricity is on their own meter or billed by the landlord before shopping.
Supplier choice applies to customers of AEP Ohio, Duke Energy Ohio, AES Ohio, Ohio Edison, The Illuminating Company and Toledo Edison. Municipal-utility and electric-cooperative customers generally can't choose a supplier.
Ohio does not charge sales tax on electricity; the per-kWh excise tax does appear on bills.
As of 2026, Ohio's utilities do not offer general business efficiency rebates, so upgrades must pay back on bill savings (plus any federal tax treatment).
Under HB 15 (effective August 14, 2025), suppliers must send two notices before a fixed-rate contract rolls to a variable rate — but only to accounts with demand of 25 kW or less. Larger sites should track their own expiration dates.

Ways medical offices cut electricity costs

Set HVAC schedules to actual clinic hours, including evening and weekend setbacks.
Ask imaging vendors about standby modes for MRI/CT support equipment.
Retrofit exam-room and corridor lighting with LED and occupancy sensors.
Consolidate practices in multi-tenant buildings under one landlord contract only if the lease allows it.

Medical offices & outpatient clinics by Ohio metro

Single-site cost models by city and multi-site buying guides by county:

FAQ

How much electricity does a medical office use?

A 15,000 ft² diagnostic office at the CBECS average of 14.9 kWh/ft² would use roughly 220,000 kWh a year.

Is a medical office a mercantile customer?

Usually not — most single offices are below Ohio’s 700,000 kWh/yr mercantile threshold.

What should a practice send to get electricity quotes?

12 months of bills, the account and meter numbers, and the name on the account (practice or landlord).

Sources

Operating evidence for the next contract

For medical offices & outpatient clinics, an electricity quote should reflect the actual operation rather than a generic business category. Give the reviewer the opening schedule, continuously required systems, planned equipment changes and the responsible legal customer. A national building benchmark can frame a question, but cannot prove the usage or saving at your facility.

Evidence to review	Decision it supports
Current operating schedule and required service levels	Identify whether the quoted load shape represents the next term, rather than last year’s business
Equipment and controls associated with medical office operations	Separate a procurement question from an engineering or maintenance question
A committed expansion, closure or tenant/ownership change	Review usage tolerance, assignment and site add/delete rights before signing
Written supply inclusions and exclusions	Distinguish an energy-only offer from a product that includes capacity or other components

Separate safe operating changes from price decisions

Use an appropriate facility specialist to validate technical changes. Consolidate practices in multi-tenant buildings under one landlord contract only if the lease allows it. Treat that as a potential review item, not a guaranteed saving or permission to alter safety-critical settings. Medical, food, process and temperature requirements take precedence over an energy target.

Retain a base case without assumed rebates or unapproved tax benefits. If a project materially changes electricity use, ask the supplier how it affects the contract rather than silently carrying the old consumption profile forward. A lower supply price and reduced consumption are separate effects and should not be counted twice.

Keep the bid review practical

Compare at least the proposed start date, included components, monthly fees, renewal clause, exit rules and the treatment of expected load changes. Ask who is responsible for enrollment and what happens if a meter cannot switch on the expected date. An adviser should be able to explain why staying on the current arrangement may be appropriate.

The browser-only comparison tools keep inputs private. Start an Ohio electricity inquiry with the utility and question, without bills or account identifiers. For the common vocabulary behind the comparison, consult PUCO’s bill definitions.