Opt-out natural-gas program extended in Trumbull Co.

Senior citizens get an additional discount in the program.

STAFF REPORT

WARREN — Trumbull County commissioners and Direct Energy are continuing to allow eligible residents and small commercial customers to participate in the county’s opt-out aggregation program.

The opt-out aggregation is a program in which customers who are being served by the utility are automatically included in the aggregation unless they decide not to participate.

“The first opt-out period expired March 1, but given the overwhelming interest from county residents, we’ve extended the program to allow customers who were previously ineligible the opportunity to participate,” said Mike Beck, vice president and general manager for Direct Energy.

The program includes a rate of $8.24 per thousand cubic feet, or Mcf, that began with the April bill cycle and ends with the March 2010 bill cycle.

The rate excludes taxes and fees for services provided by the local utility Dominion East Ohio.

The program also includes an additional discount of 10 cents per Mcf off the initial commodity price for citizens 65 and older who are the primary owners of their residence.

The opt-out aggregation program is available only to eligible residents and small-business owners who live or operate within a township or the unincorporated areas of the county.

The exceptions for Trumbull are Champion, Liberty and Bazetta townships.

To be eligible residents must be:

Usupplied by and have local distribution service with Dominion East Ohio;

Ucurrent on their bills with Dominion;

Unot a Percentage Income Payment Plan customer.

Residents who were ineligible during the first opt-out period but who now qualify will receive an opt-out letter from Direct Energy this week informing them that they will automatically be included in the program unless they contact Direct Energy to decline the offer.

Eligible residents who previously declined to be part of the program, but who now want to join will need to contact Direct Energy’s Customer Service Department toll free at: (866) 760-6040 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

Those who receive natural gas under contract from a supplier other than Dominion are not eligible.

The county’s agreement with Direct Energy was formed through a state-created, opt-out aggregation program already approved by voters.

Aggregations allow municipalities and other governmental entities to choose a preferred natural-gas provider through a competitive bidding process. The provider and the local government then agree on a pricing methodology for natural gas that’s based on volume buying.

Direct Energy supplies natural gas to more than 200,000 customers in Ohio. The company has operated in the state since 2004 and has a regional office in Dublin.