“That I think is something of an important feature here, because no one is being forced to do anything,” Oakwood Law Director Robert Jacques said. “No resident is being put into a program against their will or being put into a contract and a rate that they didn’t want.
“If you want to go on and shop it yourself … some people will. And you can choose to do that,” Jacques added.
Oakwood held a public hearing Monday on joining the MVCC’s group — the first of two required before a vote on the issue — and there were no public comments.
Oakwood would be the first member of the MVCC group to choose the opt-in option, MVCC Executive Director Jay Weiskircher said.
The MVCC coalition includes Centerville, Clayton, Englewood, Fairborn, Germantown, Kettering, Miamisburg, Moraine, Trotwood, Vandalia and West Carrollton. Later this year, the coalition also is expected to include Brookville, Eaton and Union, with Troy joining in 2024, records show.
Current electric customers in the MVCC group’s member cities have until Friday to opt out of the plan. Public forums were held Monday and Tuesday in Kettering and Centerville, respectively, to address questions prior to the opt-out deadline.
Last month the MVCC group signed a 28-month contract with electric supplier Energy Harbor of Akron, which charges 6.57 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) starting Sept. 1.
The AES Ohio standard service offer as of June 1 was 10.807 cents per kWh.
Consultant Palmer Energy said the program is projected to save residential customers $350 a year and small businesses about $984 annually.
Jacques said he believes “most — if not all — commercial businesses” in Oakwood would be eligible for the MVCC program.
Oakwood is set to hold a second public hearing Aug. 7, when council is expected to vote on the issue, Councilwoman Leigh Turben said.
Oakwood voters initially approved electric aggregation in 2003, Turben said. The proposal to join the MVCC group has been discussed “extensively” in work sessions, she added.
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