Electrical Aggregation Program

Sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council (SOPEC) is a Regional Council of Governments (COG) that provides public energy services to members across Ohio. SOPEC is Oxford’s aggregator, meaning they administer Oxford’s and other member communities' electric aggregation programs. AEP is the electric supplier for the SOPEC Electric Aggregation program.  

The City of Oxford joined SOPEC to become part of a larger buying group for clean energy. SOPEC and Oxford also share the same long-term goals of supporting renewable energy development in Ohio. 

Starting with your January bill, the new SOPEC electric aggregation program will be active. To check if you are in the program, view your Duke Energy bill. On page 3 with the 'Billing details - Electric' box: 

If it shows AEP Energy as your supplier and the program's current rate, you are enrolled in the program.

For most households enrollment requires no action. The program is an opt-out program. Eligible households will receive an opt-out letter from OPEC and AEP Energy, and will automatically be included on the City's aggregation rate unless you choose to opt out after receiving the letter. If you do not respond to the letter, then AEP Energy will complete the enrollment process. 

Once SOPEC/AEP completes your enrollment, you will be mailed an enrollment confirmation notice stating that AEP Energy now provides your electric service. No deposits are required to enroll. The Public Utilities Commission (PUCO) rules for this program require AEP Energy to send a letter to all eligible customers in the City of Oxford. This means that customers who are already in the program will receive a letter from AEP Energy offering them the opportunity to opt out of the program. This is required anytime the rates are changed, even if they are reduced. Eligible customers not enrolled in the program will also receive an opt-out letter. 

Eligible households include the following:

1. Households actively enrolled in the previous aggregation contract, which was served by Dynergy. 
2. Households that are still on Duke Energy's electric supply service at the time of the opt-out letters being mailed to residents. 

Households who have already chosen a different retail electric supplier service will not be mailed an opt-out letter but can call AEP Energy at 1-877-648-1937 to opt in to the City's program. You must first cancel with your current provider before enrolling in the City's program. The City recommends you consult with that supplier about possible early termination penalties before you choose to cancel your contract. 

Additionally, households receiving assistance through HEAP, PIPP, or other Ohio Energy Assistance programs may not be eligible to participate in an aggregation program.  

• Option 1: Do nothing and stay enrolled in the Electric Aggregation Program using renewable energy.
  • What is renewable energy?
    • Renewable energy comes from sources that are constantly replenished and sustainably used, such as wind, solar, and hydro. AEP Energy’s renewable energy plan is produced from 100% wind power and is Green-e® Energy certified. AEP Energy is purchasing Renewable Energy Certificates (“RECs”) from such sources for the SOPEC Electric Aggregation Program. Purchasing RECs can provide environmental benefits by supporting the development of renewable energy resources. Renewable energy sources emit lower greenhouse gas emissions than traditional energy sources.
• Option 2: Opt-down to SOPEC's traditional energy rate through the Electric Aggregation Program. Call the AEP Energy Customer Care Team toll-free at 1-877-648-1937 to opt-down.
• Option 3: Opt out of SOPEC’s Aggregation Program.  You will be automatically enrolled with Duke Energy SSO unless you select another provider. 

Yes, you may cancel without penalty and switch to another provider or revert back to Duke Energy Ohio's standard service offer.

To estimate your savings per kilowatt-hour (kWh) through this program, locate your ‘Price to Compare’ on your electricity bill. This is the price you pay for electric generation service from the utility. Take your ‘Price to Compare’ and subtract the offer price. The difference equates to your savings per kWh. Multiply your savings (if any) per kWh by your monthly usage (kWh) to determine your monthly savings amount. The utility delivery charges are not included in the savings calculation and will continue to be assessed by the local utility. (Any estimate of savings is not a guarantee of savings).

You will continue to receive one bill each month from your local utility (Duke Energy). If you register in the program, you will continue to receive a bill from the local utility company, Duke Energy. There will be a charge from Duke Energy on the bill for service delivery and a charge from AEP Energy for electricity. The amount you owe to AEP Energy will be stated separately on your bill, and you will continue to send payments to Duke Energy.

Yes, you can remain on budget billing.  AEP also has A Budget Billing Plan available for the supply charges for residential customers only. The Budget Billing Plan levels your monthly payments to even out the seasonal highs and lows of your monthly bills. You’ll have more certainty and can better manage your electricity expenses. Please visit AEP's website for more information: www.AEPEnergy.com.

If you move to another location within the City of Oxford, you can continue participating in the program. If you leave the City of Oxford, you will no longer be eligible to participate.

The electric energy market in Ohio is deregulated. So you will receive offers from other companies wanting your business. You can ignore these offers if you choose to remain in the Oxford Electric Aggregation program. The choice of a provider is up to the consumer.

In order to become eligible to opt in to the City’s aggregation program, you will have to cancel your current agreement first. Before you cancel your current agreement, you should ask about any termination fees. Normally, there are no cancellation fees; however, some suppliers have fees. It may even be a case where you would be better off paying the fee and then enrolling in the aggregation program, depending on the current rate you are paying, especially if you are paying more than the Duke Price-To-Compare. You should be looking at your Duke bill when you call both the current supplier and AEP Energy. If you are with another supplier, you can find that supplier’s phone number on the Duke bill.

If you want to find a different course of green electricity, you may use the Public Utilities Commission (PUCO) “Apples to Apples” comparison tool.  Customers can navigate the PUCO site for residential service to select an electric service supplier and establish their own individual agreements.

Energy costs are increasing globally due to increased demand. Within these increases, the aggregation program still provides competitive rates for energy.

Please contact the AEP Energy Customer Care Team toll-free at 1-877-648-1937 or visit Energy Choice Ohio.gov.