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Energy consultant outlines county aggregation plan, recommends November ballot for Centerburg
Summary
Bob Staveley of Palmer Energy briefed the Centerburg Village Council on county electric and gas aggregation, explaining the opt-out model, certification through the PUCO, expected outreach and the potential for lower generation charges if voters approve placing aggregation on the ballot this November.
Bob Staveley, an energy consultant with Palmer Energy, told the Centerburg Village Council that a countywide electric and gas aggregation could be placed on the ballot as soon as November and would let participating communities combine purchasing power to seek lower generation prices.
"When I say electric and gas aggregation, it's the community coming together to shop and get a discount on the electric generation portion of the bill," Staveley said, summarizing the program Palmer Energy runs with the County Commissioners Association of Ohio. He described aggregation as a ballot-driven, opt-out program in which the county would become the certified aggregator through the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) and then run a competitive RFP to select suppliers.
Staveley walked council members through the practical steps: the village would pass a resolution to place aggregation on the ballot; the county would file for PUCO certification; commissioners would approve a governance plan; staff and the consultant would run an RFP and present top supplier proposals for review, including input from the village and legal review by the prosecutor.
The program is designed as an opt-out enrollment. Staveley said customers would receive an opt-out notice and have 21 days to decline enrollment; utilities would also send a recision notice confirming an imminent supplier change. He stressed that residents who are already under third-party contracts should check their contracts before joining the aggregation.
"There's no fee to leave or fee to join at any time," Staveley said when asked about exit fees, adding that suppliers typically provide an 800 number for enrollment issues and that Palmer Energy helps customers who encounter problems.
Councilors pressed Staveley on timing and market risk. He noted summer months can produce higher prices and said the program can wait or return customers to the utility if the aggregation price is higher than the utility's rate; the consultant suggested re-evaluating the market around December if necessary.
Staveley also described outreach and education steps: informal informational meetings, tabling and social media posts, followed by the formal public hearings required under the certification and governance process. He encouraged the village to host or promote informational sessions and offered to provide printed materials and staff to answer resident questions.
What happens next: council discussed whether to place aggregation on the ballot at a future meeting. If council votes to go forward, staff would coordinate with the county on certification, the governance plan and outreach; if the village declines, no local action would be taken.
