Electric aggregate savings available to townships

LISBON - Residents in the 12 townships served by Ohio Edison may be given the option of participating in a program that would save them $37 annually on their electric bills, while providing their trustees with a $50,000 bonus from the electric company.

Columbiana County Commission Chairman Penny Traina said she recently informed the county Association of Township Trustees of the discount program being offered by FirstEnergy Corp., the parent corporation of Ohio Edison, which is the electricity supplier to more than half of the county.

FirstEnergy has been encouraging cities and villages in its service area to participate in a statewide aggregation discount program, which applies only to the generation portion of electric bills, as a way to lower rates for residential and commercial customers. Under the program, customers can choose which electric company they want to be their generation supplier.

The FirstEnergy program is also available to townships by one of two methods, both of which need voter approval. Commissioners can put a countywide electric aggregate issue on the ballot that would cover all of the townships, or the township trustees can put their own individual issues on the ballot. Voters then would have to give their approval to participate in the program, whether it be the countywide issue or on a township-by-township basis.

Traina said a FirstEnergy official told them in August about the program and the procedures for putting the electric aggregate issue on the Nov. 3 ballot this year. If they did and the issue passed, commissioners would receive a $50,000 grant from FirstEnergy.

Traina spoke with fellow commissioners Jim Hoppel and Dan Bing and they decided to forgo that option and instead advise the various townships of the program, which was the other option, and let them decide whether they want to put it on the ballot. This way, each of the townships and not commissioners, would receive $50,000.

"We thought it was a bigger benefit to the townships," she said. "I think the townships can certainly utilize $50,000 and it can certainly help with the difficult economic times we are all facing."

Twelve of the 18 townships in the county are served by Ohio Edison and would receive $50,000 each, which can be spent on anything, for a combined $600,000. Traina said that makes more sense than going the other route and commissioners being the only one to receive the $50,000.

"The county that works together stays together. We didn't do a countywide initiative because we felt the townships would be better served if they did this themselves."

If the township voters approved the ballot issue choosing FirstEnergy as the aggregate supplier, residents would be eligible for a 6 percent annual discount for 2010 through 2012, or $37 per year, if they choose to participate. The discount for commercial customers would be 4 percent, or $87 per year.

The combined savings would amount to $1.46 million over the three years. Traina said the savings would be less since the earliest the townships can place the issue on the ballot is the May 2010 primary election.

Even after the issue passes, participation would be strictly voluntary and residents can opt out of the program at any time, although a small fee could be assessed.

"If you don't want it, you don't have to sign up for it," Traina said.

The six other townships in the southern part of the county, served by either AEP or Carroll Rural Electric, are already eligible to participate in the program, Traina said.

tgiambroni@mojonews.com