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Palmer Energy presents county electricity procurement options; recommends 24‑month all‑in rate for facilities
Summary
Palmer Energy, on behalf of the CCAO Energy Program, presented results of a multijurisdictional procurement. For Richland County, most facilities were placed in a group with an all-in rate of 0.08046 for 24 months; three larger meters were assigned to a separate supplier with capacity pass-through pricing.
At the April 22, 2025 meeting of the Richland County Board of Commissioners, Amy Hoffman of Palmer Energy presented results from the CCAO (County Commissioners Association of Ohio) Energy Program for the county’s facility electricity procurement.
Hoffman said the CCAO procurement bundled many counties’ facilities into three groups and competitively solicited suppliers. She told the board that 86 of Richland County’s 89 meters were placed in the large Group 1, which received an “all-inclusive” supplier price of 0.08046 per kilowatt-hour for a 24-month contract that would begin in May and appear on June bills if approved. “That is absolutely correct,” Hoffman said when the distinction between township aggregation and facilities purchasing was raised.
Hoffman said Group 1’s contract is not a capacity pass-through; it is an all-in rate. She said three of Richland County’s largest meters are assigned to CPV Energy with a quoted price of 0.05767 per kilowatt-hour plus capacity pass-through, and that capacity charges can add roughly 1½ to 2 cents per kilowatt-hour on average. Hoffman and commissioners discussed that capacity auction clearing prices are a major upward driver of recent electricity cost increases; Hoffman referenced a June capacity estimate of $2.70 per megawatt-day and noted FERC action placing a temporary ceiling at $3.25 for one year.
Commissioner questions included a request to receive procurement materials earlier; Hoffman apologized and said she had circulated documents just before the meeting. She also said there is no new update on the county’s previously discussed solar-field interconnection: the project remains in the interconnection queue and no firm timeline is available.
Hoffman described the procurement as already approved at the group level and signed by the collective; she presented the recommendations and the expected rates for informational and planning purposes. No formal local vote on the procurement was recorded at the meeting.
Commissioners asked about gas contracts and utility-specific issues; Hoffman said gas suppliers and pipeline cost filings (TECO/Columbia Gas) can later affect bills and that suppliers who included refund language would return differences if regulators adjust pipeline charges.
Hoffman closed by noting Palmer Energy will send documentary materials and supporting lists (addresses for the meters assigned to each supplier) to county staff.
The presentation provided the county with expected supplier assignments and rates for budgeting and implementation planning.
