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Ideas, Actions, People, and Commentary in the City of Worthington

Community Aggregation Program Saving $500 per year in Worthington

Written by David Robinson on . Posted in City Services, Good Governance, Household Impact, Sustainability

Good news. Our community electric aggregation program is now saving the average household ≈ $45/month, or ≈ $500/year, on their electric bills, compared to the AEP Ohio standard service.  AND these households are buying 100% green energy (through certifiable renewable energy credits, aka RECs). Here’s the basics about the community aggregation program:

  • Our current generation rate is 6.9¢ per kWh, compared to the current AEP standard rate of 11.2¢ per kWh (a 38% savings).  This 6.9¢ rate will be in effect from July, 2023 to June, 2025.
  • These savings translate into a projected $2.2 million savings, citywide, for the current contract year, July, 2023 through June, 2024 (calculation is based on last year’s usage of ≈ 51 million kWH, from July of 2022 through June of 2023, and the 4.3¢ difference in rates).
  • There are ≈ 4,500 participants in this program at any given time (at the end of September, the latest data I have available to me, there were 4,812 participants).
  • AEP Energy will be sending letters to newly eligible accounts (a total of ≈ 400) via USPS on 12/18. No one currently in the program, or anyone that has previously opted-out will receive the letter.
  • The positive impact of this program, on our pocketbooks and the environment, extends to the impact on other communities as well as a number of them have emulated our program.  Read about it here: https://davidrobinsonblog.com/2022/11/a-bit-of-good-news-local-global/

I wanted to provide this update as a way of encouraging continued and expanded participation in this green energy program.  But I also wanted to remind Worthingtonians, in this conflicted political environment we live in, that smart public policies can be developed and enacted to the benefit of the entire community, to the common good.  Too often, vested interests want to frame issues as either/or, win/lose.  Sometimes that is the case, of course, but I believe we ought to approach every policy, program, and project—no matter how divisive—with an eye toward finding a creative way forward that opens up broad possibilities unimagined by those drawing the battle lines.

By saying this I am not advocating a policy of routine “compromise,” where a pie is simply split in half.  That may or may not be just, productive, or appropriate in any given case.  Mediocrity or worse may result.  What I am saying is that there are ways to develop public policy that creatively solve seemingly intractable problems through novel approaches.  This can and should, here in Worthington, and any place grounded in representative governance, draw upon the thinking and perspectives of the residents, whose interests are the beginning and end of our local government.  I’ll be writing more about this issue of how we govern ourselves, and how we may solve problems and seize opportunities, in the months to come.

Also, if interested, I’ve posted a number of times about our community aggregation program, from its inception in 2018 to the present. Here are a few links:

https://davidrobinsonblog.com/2018/05/electrical-aggregation-in-worthington-how-to-not-burn-20-million-pounds-of-coal/

https://davidrobinsonblog.com/2018/11/a-resounding-yes-for-clean-energy-savings-issue-39/

https://davidrobinsonblog.com/2023/03/the-numbers-are-in-worthington-green-energy-program-brought-residents-20-savings-in-2022/

Thanks for checking out this blogpost. As always, I welcome comment or feedback.  You can email me directly via this website or at davidwrobinsonblog@gmail.com

David Robinson

David Robinson lives in Worthington with his wife, Lorraine, and their three children—one who attends Kilbourne Middle School, one who attends Phoenix Middle School, and one who is a graduate of the Linworth High School Program and Otterbein University. David is President and co-owner of Marcy Adhesives, Inc., a local manufacturing company. David has served on Worthington City Council since January, 2018, and is deeply committed to 1) advancing resident-centered policies, 2) supporting responsible development that enhances our unique historic character, 3) endorsing environmentally sustainable practices for both residents and city operations, 4) promoting the safety and well-being of all residents, and 5) preserving the walkable, tree-filled, distinctive, friendly nature of our neighborhoods.