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NOPEC outlines energy-aggregation plan for Plain City; council told July start possible
Summary
NOPEC representative Ross McDonald presented a proposal for villagewide gas and electric aggregation, described product options and member benefits (including grants and small-business loans), and outlined a timeline that could allow a July start if council moves forward and schedules public hearings.
Ross McDonald of the Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council (NOPEC) told the council that NOPEC would manage procurement and member services if Plain City joins an opt-out aggregation program. "My name is Ross McDonald. I represent the Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council," he said, and described NOPEC as a board-led, member-driven nonprofit that runs aggregation programs for roughly 250 Ohio communities.
McDonald said the proposed program would not change utility service or billing mechanics for residents but would add a supply line referencing NOPEC and the supplier. "When we set up this program for Plain City, there will be no change to the utility service or the billing mechanism," he said. He named NextEra Energy as the successful bidder in NOPEC procurement processes and reviewed standard and fixed-rate product options (12- and 24-month fixes, plus a monthly variable) and a NOPEC standard gas price of 71.9¢ per CCF.
The presentation emphasized protections for residents: enrollment would be opt-out, residents already on retail contracts would not be superseded, and participants could switch products at no charge. McDonald also described member benefits funded by the supplier, including automatic community grants, small-business energy-audit grants, PACE/step loans (PACE capped at $1,000,000; step loans around $125,000), and other economic-development tools.[Clarifying detail: NOPEC reported typical supplier-funded community grants and said the supplier pays those amounts as part of the RFP agreement.]
Council members asked about the mechanics of opting out, whether "sweeps" would capture newly eligible accounts or new construction, and the length of service cycles: McDonald said electric aggregation terms comply with Ohio Revised Code limits (no longer than three years for electric; two-year cycles for gas programs). He told the council the next steps would include council authorization to proceed with public hearing scheduling and that NOPEC staff would attend the March 9 meeting for ordinance first readings and to support hearing dates.
No formal vote occurred on aggregation during the meeting; the council requested additional information and plans for public hearings and ordinance language before taking action.
