The city of Columbus today announced the selection of AEP Energy as a partner in its cleaner energy initiative. In July, the city placed the issue of community choice aggregation on the November 3 ballot. Under the concept, Columbus will contract to provide residents and small businesses competitively-priced, clean electricity from a retail generation supplier certified by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. Participation in the program would be voluntary, and residents can opt-out at any time. Ginther says the benefits for the city's neighborhoods are numerous.
“Cleaner energy, better climate, jobs and opportunities,” Ginther continued. “And it's a way for us to show the rest of the state and the country how to build a clean energy economy right here in the heart of the Midwest.”
Ginther earlier this year said the city is committed to be at 100% clean energy by 2022 and carbon neutral by 2050.
“Electric aggregation is essentially collective bargaining for energy purchasing,” Columbus City Councilmember Rob Dorans said. “By banding together, the residents of Columbus have more collective power than they do on their own. Using this power we have a huge opportunity to provide competitive electricity rates, move towards 100% renewable energy sources and help support clean energy jobs in our region. I look forward to working with AEP Ohio to achieve these goals.”
Council will hold a virtual public hearing on the community choice aggregation process Wednesday, Sept. 2, at 5:30 p.m. Grove City has a similar proposal on the November ballot. Two years ago, Worthington voters approved a community choice aggregation plan.
