Choice of gas supplier on tap

Direct Energy will supply customers in Struthers who are already being served by Dominion East.

STAFF REPORT

STRUTHERS — City residents and businesses are being offered choices about who supplies their natural gas.

Residents voted in November for an opt-out gas-aggregation program for the city.

An opt-out aggregation program is when customers in a city, county or township join to form a single, larger customer and buy energy in volume on behalf of the residents in the community.

The city, after the vote, advertised for bids for a supplier for the program, said Yvette Hamilton of supplier Direct Energy, which won the contract.

Now, Direct Energy will supply customers in Struthers who are already being served by Dominion East Ohio, the utility that handles the gas transmission and also acts as a default supplier, Hamilton explained.

Those customers can expect letters in early January that will explain how to opt out of the aggregation, she said. If they want to stay with Direct Energy, they will be automatically included. But if they want to choose another supplier, including Dominion East Ohio, they must notify Direct Energy.

Residents and businesses who already have a different supplier but decide they want to join the gas-aggregation program must do so through another Direct Energy program called Direct Choice, Hamilton said.

Signup for the program is available now at (866) 803-4618.

Direct Energy’s price is $6.54 per thousand cubic feet.

“Direct Energy’s natural gas offer is currently one of the lowest available to residents in Struthers,” said Terry Stocker, mayor. “Enrollment is easy, and we encourage residents who are interested in the program to contact Direct Energy to sign up.”