Gas and Electric Aggregation
UPDATE:

The Township's electric aggregation program with Dynegy at a rate of $0.0499 per kWh expires on the May 2023 Duke bill. Energy Alliances negotiated with multiple suppliers and was able to lock in a rate of 6.89 cents per kWh with Dynegy starting with the June 2023 bill and continuing through the May 2025 bill (24 bill periods).

The 6.89 cents per kWh may sound high. However, based on how Duke uses an auction process to set their generation supply rates Energy Alliances anticipates that Duke's default generation rate will be around 9.5 cents per kWh starting with the June 2023 bill.

A rate of 6.89 cents per kWh for the aggregation would save participants around 25% compared to taking Duke's default supply rate.

Those eligible for the aggregation program should see opt-out letters mailed in the second half of March.

ENROLLMENT IS EASY

Being part of an opt-out aggregation program is a simple and safe alternative. The aggregation program(s) shown above are approved and monitored by your community's officials. Don't be misled by door-to-door salespeople and push telemarketers who hide their motives by misleading residents on price or who they actually represent. 

QUESTIONS?

Your energy supplier(s) can answer most program questions. In addition, the Energy Alliances team is available Monday-Friday 9am to 5 pm by phone at (513) 794-5555 or (800) 735-0359, or you can leave a message and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

NOTICE SCAM ALERTS

Energy Alliances, Inc., your aggregation partner, wanted to alert you to the fact that there are solicitors in the area making phone calls and going door to door & are in some retail stores.

The sales tactics for the above solicitations are aggressive, sometimes misleading and many times in violation of the Public Utility Commission’s rules for marketing. Additionally, terms and conditions often include low introductory prices and purposely hide, in fine …print, the often exorbitant price after the relatively short (1 to 3 month) introductory term. These offers may also include hefty early termination fees and/or other terms which may be objectionable to the customer (such as automatic roll-over provisions). Many times, door-to-door solicitors ask to see a resident’s Duke bill on the pretext of confirming their current rate, then obtain pertinent information from the bill and switch the account without the resident’s consent or knowledge. Residents should be cautioned to never let anyone trying to sell them something see a copy of their bill.

Residents should be aware that PUCO regulations require sales agents to immediately identify themselves and their company and explain why they are speaking with them. Solicitors must wear an identification badge displaying their photo and full name and the name, logo, and phone number of the company they are representing.

Residents who feel they were pressured into switching have rights: they can immediately call Duke Energy to rescind their enrollment or wait for the Duke Energy letter acknowledging the switch, then call the number provided to rescind the switch during the allotted rescission period.

If a resident feels they were inappropriately switched, they can call the PUCO at (800) 686-PUCO (7826) and lodge a complaint. Residents should always write down the company, the name of the person they spoke with and any other pertinent information (such as promises made, prices and terms offered, etc.). They can also use their cell phone to take a photo of the solicitor’s badge and get a supervisor’s phone number for their records.

Community aggregation programs continue to be one of the best ways for residents to get a reliable energy supply at a reasonable price from a trustworthy company that community leaders have vetted and chosen.

Governmental Energy Aggregation: Local Community Buying Power

Aggregation is when a group of customers join together to form a single, larger customer base that buys energy for its members. A large buying group may be able to get a better price for the group members than you can get on your own.

What is Governmental Aggregation?

Ohio’s laws allow for communities – such as townships, to form the aggregated buying groups on behalf of their citizens. The governmental aggregator chooses an outside supplier for all of the customer-members in its group. Aggregation programs can be formed to buy natural gas, electricity or both.

All governmental aggregators buying electricity must be certified by the PUCO. Communities that aggregate to buy natural gas are required to be certified by the PUCO unless they aggregate under an Ohio Constitution provision which allows “home rule” or the right for communities to take action under their own charters. If an aggregator is going to provide natural gas and/or electric buying services, it must be certified separately for each industry. Certification by the PUCO, means they have met strict requirements for doing business in Ohio. Therefore, you can participate with confidence.

The law allows for opt-in aggregation or opt-out aggregation.

Opt-in Aggregation

Opt-in aggregation is a program that permits each customer to sign up individually to participate in the program. If the local government chooses Opt-in aggregation, it can proceed to develop a plan and start signing up customers. The plan must include all rates and terms for customers to consider when deciding to join.

Opt-out Aggregation

Opt-out aggregation is a program that automatically enrolls all local residents, unless they individually opt-out of the program (choose not to be included). If a community chooses this form of aggregation, a number of steps are required:

• A majority of voters must authorize opt-out aggregation in an election. The issue appears on a primary or general election ballot for your consideration.
• If authorized by a majority of the vote, the local government must form a plan of operation and management. They must also hold at least two public hearings to allow customers to voice any concerns over the proposed plan.
• Once the local government has adopted the plan, each customer to be aggregated must be notified that they will be automatically enrolled in the program unless they specifically elect not to participate. This notification must also state the rates, charges, and other terms and conditions of enrollment in the program. The opt-out notice is usually a letter accompanied by a post card to be mailed back if you do not want to participate or sometimes, a phone number to call or web site to visit to opt-out.
• Natural gas aggregation customers may opt-out every two years without paying a switching fee. Electric aggregation customers may opt-out every three years without paying a switching fee.
  

Deciding to stay with the Aggregation

When deciding to join an “opt-in” government aggregation or deciding whether to stay in an “opt-out” government aggregation, here are some things to think about:

• The goal of the buying group –will the aggregator be looking for the lowest price, sources used to generate the electricity, or additional services when finding a supplier?
• Number of group members – larger groups will usually have better “buying power”.
• Length of the contract – how long is the contract and how will it be renewed?
• Terms and conditions – be sure you read and understand them, including membership requirements, how you will be billed, and any fees.
  

Eligibility

For both natural gas and electric aggregation, customers who are already enrolled in the Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP – a payment plan for past-due bills) are NOT eligible.

For natural gas aggregation, the only other customers who are not eligible to participate are those that are already under individual contracts with suppliers as part of a natural gas choice program. These customers will not appear on eligible customer lists provided to the governmental aggregator or the governmental aggregator’s chosen supplier.

For electric aggregation, most customers are eligible and their names will appear on customer lists provided to the governmental aggregator or its chosen supplier. It is important to note that if recently switched to a supplier and your community aggregates, you should return the opt-out notice if you do not wish to be switched to the aggregations’ supplier. That is a decision for you to make. You will want to talk to your chosen supplier if you consider switching to the aggregation’s supplier to find out if there are any penalties for the early cancellation of the contract.

Dynegy Energy Services FAQ’s

Billing and Payment

How will I be billed for the amounts I owe to Dynegy Energy Retail?

You will continue to receive one bill each month from your local utility. The amount that you owe to Dynegy will be separately stated on that bill and your payment for Generation service will be forwarded by your local utility to Dynegy.

Outages

Who do I call if my electric or gas service is interrupted?

You will continue to call your local electric or gas distribution company for all service related issues, such as outages.

Begin Saving Now

What if I try it and don’t like it? Can I switch back?

If you would like to switch back to Duke Energy Ohio, or any other company, there is no cancellation or termination fee if you decide to cancel your electric aggregation participation in the future.

The Township's electric aggregation program with Dynegy at a rate of $0.0499 per kWh expires on the May 2023 Duke bill. Energy Alliances negotiated with multiple suppliers and was able to lock in a rate of 6.89 cents per kWh with Dynegy starting with the June 2023 bill and continuing through the May 2025 bill (24 bill periods).

The 6.89 cents per kWh may sound high. However, based on how Duke uses an auction process to set their generation supply rates Energy Alliances anticipates that Duke's default generation rate will be around 9.5 cents per kWh starting with the June 2023 bill.

A rate of 6.89 cents per kWh for the aggregation would save participants around 25% compared to taking Duke's default supply rate.

Those eligible for the aggregation program should see opt-out letters mailed in the second half of March.

ENROLLMENT IS EASY

Being part of an opt-out aggregation program is a simple and safe alternative. The aggregation program(s) shown above are approved and monitored by your community's officials. Don't be misled by door-to-door salespeople and push telemarketers who hide their motives by misleading residents on price or who they actually represent. 

QUESTIONS?

Your energy supplier(s) can answer most program questions. In addition, the Energy Alliances team is available Monday-Friday 9am to 5 pm by phone at (513) 794-5555 or (800) 735-0359, or you can leave a message and we will get back to you as soon as possible.