As a result of increased electrical energy rates, Mentor residents who are current NOPEC electrical customers will automatically be switched back to the Illuminating Company until Spring 2023. Customers will be receiving a letter from NOPEC in the near future advising them of the change.
NOPEC’s current electric rates are higher than the utility’s Price to Compare (PTC) because the utility’s rate was determined largely in auctions conducted prior to April 2022, when energy prices were considerably lower.
NOPEC electric customers do not have to do anything to start getting the lower rates and will not be charged any fee to transfer. NOPEC will immediately notify the electric utilities to return its Standard Program Price accounts to the default service. Depending on each customer’s meter read date, it may take one to two billing cycles for the transfer to take effect.
Customers that are returned to the utility’s default service will remain eligible for NOPEC’s aggregation program in the future. By Spring 2023, NOPEC is forecasting that energy markets will normalize and its electric rates will be in line with the utilities’ newly established Price to Compare and all eligible customers in NOPEC member communities will be notified via mail that they will be automatically re-enrolled in NOPEC at that time, unless they notify NOPEC that they wish to opt out.
NOPEC’s natural gas aggregation is unaffected and will continue uninterrupted. NOPEC’s current natural gas price is still lower than other retail offers as well as the current Dominion East Ohio and Columbia Gas default service rates.
Those with questions regarding this transition, are asked to visit the NOPEC website at www.nopec.org/return or contact NOPEC’s Customer Care Center at 855-667-3201.