Franklin council agrees to seek bids and schedule presentation on electric aggregation

Franklin City Manager Sonny Lewis updated the council Sept. 18 on plans to pursue electric aggregation bidding after the 2001 voter-approved framework and a recent Economic & Development Committee review. He said generation charges — not delivery fees — would change under aggregation and cited sample comparisons showing a current generation rate of $0.062 per kilowatt-hour versus a possible bid at $0.052, which he estimated could save roughly $209.81 per year for an all-electric home and about $145.24 for a gas/electric home in the Harpland area.

Lewis described the role of a broker (Eagle Energy was discussed) to solicit bids and advise whether to accept a contract, and said that Duke Energy would continue to provide distribution services. He emphasized that prior voter-approved opt-out language governs enrollment: residents would receive letters and could opt out at any time, and businesses with higher usage can opt in under separate contracts. Council members raised concerns about aggressive solicitation practices and the potential for automatic sign-ups when residents give information over the phone; several members asked staff to invite a vendor presentation before any commitment. Council voted to schedule a presentation and direct staff to pursue bids for comparison only; no contract award was made at the meeting.

A presentation to the full council will be scheduled so members can evaluate bidders, ask questions about consumer protections, and decide whether to accept any future bid.