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Council schedules hearings on joining Sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council after public questions on transparency and renewables
Summary
Council introduced measures to join SOPEC and approve the program plan; a resident raised concerns about rate volatility, a default 100% renewable option, and administrative costs. SOPEC representatives described program savings, grant work and member support. Two public hearings were scheduled.
London City Council opened discussion and scheduled public hearings on ordinances that would join the city to the Sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council (SOPEC) and adopt the council's plan of operation for an electric aggregation program.
Jeremiah Campana, speaking during public comment, said he supports exploring cost‑saving options but urged caution: "While I support exploring cost saving energy options, I have concerns about SOPEC's transparency on rate volatility, its bias toward renewable energy, and its administrative costs." He asked the council for side‑by‑side comparisons of SOPEC plans, estimates of any premium for the 100% renewable option, and how the city would protect residents from rate spikes when fixed contracts expire.
SOPEC Executive Director Luke Solfridge and Regional Director Steve Harris introduced the organization to council members. Solfridge said, "SOPEC is a public entity. We're a council of governments made up of 42 members across the state of Ohio... What we do agree on is working together to try to reduce the energy burden for our members, trying to reduce energy costs, and finding ways creatively to reduce that for public facilities, for our public pricing program, for our aggregation program." He also noted SOPEC's grant writing successes and recent awards for brownfield cleanup and other projects.
Council members and staff flagged immediate context the public should understand: one council member said the city's current electricity aggregator is no longer in business and that the city is locked into a low rate through Dec. 31, 2025; the safety/service director noted current contracted supply at about 4.45¢ per kilowatt hour through the end of 2025. Council emphasized that the ordinances introduced would only establish membership and the governance documents; they do not obligate the city to a supplier or fixed contract at this stage.
The council scheduled two required public hearings on SOPEC membership and the plan of operation for June 26 and July 17. No final vote was taken at the June 5 meeting; council members asked SOPEC staff to return for the hearings and invited a list of specific questions from the public and council to be provided in advance.
