Public Hearings on Anderson Township Natural Gas Aggregation Program Plan of Operation and Governance
The Board of Township Trustees of Anderson Township (“Board”), Hamilton County, Ohio will hold two public hearings on the Township’s Natural Gas Aggregation Program Plan of Operation and Governance (“Plan”). The hearings will be held at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, and 4:00 pm on Thursday, March 23, 2023. Both hearings will take place at the Board’s meeting room located at 7850 Five Mile Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45230.
On November 8, 2022, Township voters authorized the Board to aggregate retail natural gas loads in the Township and for that purpose to enter into service agreements to facilitate for those loads the purchase and sale of natural gas, such aggregation to occur automatically except where any eligible person opts out. The Board intends to form a governmental natural gas aggregation program (“Program”) for the purchase of natural gas on behalf of the Township residents and to l submit its Plan to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (“PUCO”) pursuant to PUCO Regulation and Ohio law. The Township shall develop an opt-out natural gas aggregation program following the procedures set forth in Ohio Revised Code Section 4928.20 .
Subject to the final approval of the Board, the Board will enter into a Natural Gas Supply Agreement with the selected supplier. The Supply Agreement may provide a fixed rate, a capped rate and/or a variable rate for eligible customers, which is expected to provide more price certainty and stability than the rates currently offered by the local natural gas distribution utility(ies). The contract rate is anticipated to begin on or before August 1, 2023, and to continue for a term not to exceed 36 months.
All eligible customers of the local natural gas distribution utility(ies) who do not opt out of the Program will be included in the Township’s aggregate. All customers eligible to be included in the Township’s aggregate will receive a Notice by mail regarding their right to opt out of the Program. The Notice will explain the rates, terms and conditions, and general information regarding the Program. If a customer does not wish to be included in the Program, the customer will have 21 days to opt out of the Program free of charge by returning an enclosed post card or calling the indicated toll free telephone number.
New customers moving into the Township will be given the opportunity to opt out in future mailings. Customers moving within the Township will retain their status under the Program.
Aggregate customers will continue to receive one bill from their local natural gas distribution utility.