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Huber Heights holds public hearing as SOPEC seeks to become city's energy aggregator
Summary
The Planning Commission held the first of two public hearings required by Ohio law on Sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council's (SOPEC) proposed electric aggregation plan, which would make SOPEC the city's energy aggregator and set a new default supply option for eligible residential and small commercial customers starting in October.
The Huber Heights Planning Commission on June 2, 2025 held the first of two statutorily required public hearings on a proposed electric aggregation plan to move the city's aggregation services to the Sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council (SOPEC).
SOPEC presented the plan at the meeting and said the city's current aggregation contract runs through September and, if approved, SOPEC's new supply arrangement would begin in October. Phil Leppla, identified at the meeting as SOPEC's deputy director and general counsel, explained that the program would change only the supply portion of customers' electric bills, leaving delivery and distribution with the local utility, AES Ohio.
SOPEC's plan would default participating customers into the program on an opt-out basis and the opt-out notice will be mailed; Leppla said the mailed notice will include the locked supply rate in at least two prominent places. Customers would have 21 days to opt out after receiving the mailed notice. SOPEC also said it will provide a QR code on the notice, a toll-free call center (handled by AEP Energy) and a paper-return option for residents who wish to decline participation.
SOPEC told the commission the organization seeks to provide a default that includes 100% renewable supply for participating customers and to leverage bulk purchasing across its membership to secure competitive rates. Leppla said SOPEC typically uses fixed-term pricing of one to three years and has recommended shorter, one-year terms recently because of market volatility. He said SOPEC's exclusive supplier for its aggregation programs is AEP Energy and that SOPEC has never terminated or suspended a member aggregation program prior to the end of its term.
Commissioners and members of the public asked about rate comparisons and the reliability of mailed notices. Leppla said the current AES Ohio standard service offer (the default for customers who do not participate in aggregation) is 9.45 cents per kilowatt-hour and is locked through May 31, 2026; he said the city's current aggregation rate is 8.59 cents per kilowatt-hour and that SOPEC will aim to lock a supply rate below the standard service offer before the October start date. On mail reliability, Leppla said SOPEC cannot control the U.S. Postal Service, but callers can contact the call center to opt out or ask questions, and customers can opt out at any time without penalty.
No formal vote or final action was taken at the hearing; the presenter said this was the first of two public hearings required under state law and the second hearing is scheduled for the following morning at 10 a.m.
Details recorded at the public hearing, including the opt-out process, supplier name, timeline and the quoted standard-service offer, were provided by SOPEC staff during the presentation and public Q&A.
