Bellefontaine joins in the fight against electric rate inflation
AES Ohio energy supply customers are going to see significant increases to their energy bills starting this summer. However, many residents of Bellefontaine and surrounding West Central Ohio participating in municipal aggregation programs will be insulated from these soaring energy supply prices and higher energy bills.
Affordable Gas & Electric (AGE) serves as the consultant for 20 communities in West Central Ohio, including Bellefontaine, that have active electric aggregation programs.
Under these programs, residents’ electric loads are pooled together and shopped in bulk to retail electric suppliers. Residents are enrolled automatically with the winning electric supplier unless they choose to opt-out of the program.
The participating West Central Ohio communities contracted with Energy Harbor to offer residents a fixed electric supply rate of $0.0499/kWh through December 2024. AES Ohio’s price to compare will be $0.1091017/kWh effective June 1, 2022, through May 31, 2023. The utility’s price to compare increase is more than double the previous price to compare due to rising energy prices.
“Energy markets started rising sharply throughout 2021 and have continued to take off in 2022,” said Bellefontaine Mayor Ben Stahler. “Our community locked in a long-term fixed rate just before the market shot up and participating households are going to be protected over the next couple of years from these higher rates.”
“Joining us in this fight against inflation are: Anna, Ansonia, Belle Center, Botkins, Bradford, Coldwater, Covington, DeGraff, Fort Loramie, Fort Recovery, Greenville, Jeffersonville, Lockington, Newberry Township (unincorporated areas), Quincy, Russia, Sidney, Urbana and West Milton.”
Residents in these communities are advised to check the ‘Supply Charges’ on page two of their AES Ohio bill to confirm Energy Harbor as their supplier at $0.0499/kWh.
If Energy Harbor is not shown as the electric supplier, then residents can join their community’s aggregation program by visiting Energy Harbor’s website (https://energyharbor.com/en/community-programs/find-your-program) or calling (866) 636-3749 to enroll.
“Most households were enrolled in the electric aggregation programs automatically last fall,” Stahler said. “However, there is still time to get enrolled if a resident opted-out previously or has a different provider.”