Springfield residents to decide whether to aggregate natural gas

Springfield voters can decide whether to join a natural gas aggregation program this November, following a city commission move to place a utility aggregation initiative on the ballot.

The city currently offers automatic electric aggregation through the Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council (NOPEC), which would likely be the same aggregator for natural gas.

“The idea is to help everybody with their energy bills,” City Commissioner Larry Ricketts said during a Wednesday, July 15 event. “There’s only so much we can do locally, but this will be a program where you’ll have these different choices and you can bounce around in these choices.”

More than 10 years ago, the city moved to electric aggregation after receiving voter approval, City Manager Bryan Heck said at a city meeting Tuesday, July 14.

“Gas aggregation existed as well, but at that time gas prices were much lower and not as volatile; the market wasn’t as volatile,” Heck said. “Now we’re seeing that change, that catch up in the natural gas market.”

Ross McDonald, NOPEC director of community expansion, said during the meeting that the organization is the largest governmental aggregator in the U.S.

He said that, like the electric program, the gas aggregation would be an opt-out option, meaning residents would be automatically enrolled unless they choose to obtain their own gas.

NOPEC has agreements with more than 250 communities in Ohio, using that fact to negotiate better gas and electric rates and terms, according to the organization.

“We offer competitive rates and more product choices than any other aggregation without the tricky fees or contracts that for-profit energy companies use,” NOPEC said on its website.

NOPEC will offer public education on the program between now and the upcoming November election, McDonald said. It will also send a household mailer with information on the program to every registered voter in the city.

Dates for the education sessions will be announced once the city formally approves the resolution to ask voters the question. That will come at the commission’s next meeting on July 28.

Some people like to compare energy costs and select different providers based on deals, though many of those come with terms like the price only being available for a short period before there is a large increase.

If residents approve the aggregation, the city could start a program as early as March of next year, McDonald said. When the city selects a natural gas provider, a letter would go to every eligible household in the city to inform them they will be automatically part of the program unless they’d like to fill out a form and opt out.

“We’ve all seen the rising energy costs; electricity has gone through the roof and thank goodness we have an aggregation program to help stabilize those prices for our citizens,” Commissioner Andy Rigsbee said. “Gas — I never thought we’d see something like this — but gas prices are also going through the roof, and anything that we can do to stabilize those prices for the citizens and let people manage their budgets is a good thing.”