20 Miami Valley communities expand energy programs to residents, small businesses

ajc.com

Credit: Jen Balduf

Credit: Jen Balduf

An electric energy aggregation program that has saved participating communities nearly $30 million since the fall of 2023 is now expanding to benefit residential and small business electric and natural gas customers.

There are 20 local communities collaborating with the Miami Valley Technology and Communications Group, formerly the Miami Valley Communications Council, for an electric aggregation program. A natural gas aggregation program will begin this fall.

“Aggregating energy supplies for our citizens and small businesses by taking advantage of increased buying power provides opportunities to potentially secure a lower price than an individual or small business shopping on their own,” Kettering City Manager Matt Greeson said.

Ohio law allows local governments to form aggregated buying groups to negotiate competitive rates for electricity and natural gas. These programs are voluntary, and participants can opt out any time without penalty.

“Unlike electric aggregation, which results in quantifiable savings, the objective with natural gas aggregation is competitive pricing, budget stability and an established price ceiling,” Centerville Mayor Brooks Compton said.

Customers who participate in aggregation programs will continue to receive monthly bills and service from their local utility providers: AES Ohio for electric and CenterPoint Energy or Duke Energy for natural gas. In the event of a power outage or gas leak, customers will still contact those utility companies for support. The only change is the supplier of the energy, chosen through a competitive bid process managed by MVTCG.

Communities participating in both electric and natural gas aggregation include: Brookville, Centerville, Eaton, Englewood, Fairborn, Germantown, Kettering, Miamisburg, Monroe, Moraine, New Lebanon, Oakwood, Trotwood, Troy, Union, Vandalia and West Carrollton.

Clayton and Lewisburg are participating in electric aggregation only and Huber Heights is enrolled in natural gas aggregation only. Clayton and Lewisburg will be asking voters to consider natural gas aggregation on the November ballot, MVTCG said.

Details will be shared later this year regarding enrollment and supplier information.

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