Fairfield Public Works Director Adam Sackenheim said the city is doing this now because “we are aware that with electric rates, we’re going to see some very specific increases on the residential side, if those increases have not already gone into effect.” And in addition to potentially finding cost rate savings, he said it would provide rate stability.
Aggregation measures are meant to allow Ohio consumers to choose their electricity generation suppliers — where their energy comes from. Under aggregation, a community entity negotiates with suppliers on behalf of eligible households, nonprofits, and small businesses to save money on bills by grouping them together.
“Putting aggregation on the ballot in the fall, we give our voters an opportunity to weigh in on this, and hopefully, if it would work out, we would be able to shop and aggregate the electric, aggregate the gas, put it out on the market and get a better rate for our customers,” Sackenheim said.
This isn’t just the right time for Fairfield to do this, as Middletown in May asked voters to approve gas and electric aggregation (which they approved). Monroe City Council started the same process last week, where the board had the first of two readings to put gas and electric aggregation on the November ballot.
But not all city residents would be eligible for aggregation. Residents who are currently with another alternate supplier and those who enrolled in the Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP) are not eligible, according to a presentation to Fairfield Council last month.
“Looking at the forecast of energy costs and increases, and the city thinks now is the right time to do this,” Sackenheim said.
Council unanimously decided to put the two election issues on the November ballot, and Councilman Terry Senger said his electric bill has doubled between now and 12-to-14 months ago.
“I’m not the only one in Fairfield to have that electric cost problem, and it’s just going up at a very fast pace,” he said.
While the council did not cast any vote of endorsement for the measure, Senger volunteered his backing, saying he would “encourage voters to support this when it’s on the ballot. Anything we can do to lower the cost of energy is a plus because it’s going to be a long, long time before we get away from electric and natural gas.”
Gas and electric aggregation has been an option for municipalities, townships, and counties for about a decade when the Ohio Legislature codified the ability.
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