Prior to the June 26 regular council meeting, the Village of Bluffton will hold Natural Gas Aggregation Public Hearings at 6 and 6:30 p.m. at Bluffton Town Hall.

The public hearings are an opportunity for residents to address council on the topic of natural gas aggregation. 

Aggregation was approved by Bluffton voters in the May 2 election with 279 yes votes and 39 no votes to the following:

Proposed (Resolution) Gas Aggregation Village of Bluffton A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage Shall the Village of Bluffton have the authority to aggregate the retail natural gas loads located in the Village of Bluffton, and for that purpose, enter into service agreements to facilitate for those loads the sale and purchase of natural gas, such aggregation to occur automatically except where any person elects to opt out?

OPT-OUT AGGREGATION INFORMATION

From energychoice.ohio.gov

“Opt-out” aggregation is a program that automatically enrolls all local residents, unless they individually opt-out of the program and choose not to be included. If the local government chooses opt-in aggregation, it must pass a resolution in support of the program, develop a plan and hold two public hearings. It must also be certified by the PUCO before signing up customers. The plan must include all rates and terms for customers to consider when deciding to join. If the local government chooses opt-out aggregation, a number of additional requirements must be met, including the following:

First, a majority of voters must authorize opt-out aggregation in an election.

If authorized by a majority of the vote, the local government must form a plan of operation and management.  They must also hold at least two public hearings to allow consumers to voice any concerns over the proposed plan.

Once the local government has adopted the plan, each consumer that is to be aggregated must be notified that they will be automatically enrolled in the program unless they specifically elect not to participate.  This notification must also state the rates, charges, and other terms and conditions of enrollment in the program.

The local government must allow anyone enrolled in the program an opportunity to opt-out. For natural gas aggregation consumers the opt-out is available every two years without paying a switching fee. For electric aggregation consumers, the opt-out is available every three years without paying a switching fee. 

Some things to consider about government aggregation:

Consumers in an area where government aggregation has been approved will not need to sign a contract; they are automatically enrolled unless they opt-out.

Those who do not explicitly opt-out and are in a government aggregation area are automatically included in the municipality’s aggregation.  If these consumers do not opt-out and then choose a new supplier, they remain customers of the government aggregation program.

Consumers in an area with government aggregation who want to remain with their local utility will need to opt-out of the aggregation program and switch to their local utility.