Municipal Gas Aggregation

Local Utility:

Dominion East Ohio

Population:

34,000.

Challenge:

Minimize customer confusion while meeting state and utility notification rules during a change in Suppliers for an opt-out Aggregation Program. Whenever a customer changes suppliers on his/her own, the previous supplier, the local utility and the new supplier all send computer-generated forms to the customer documenting that request and tracking the progress in migrating to the new supplier. However, when a customer is changing suppliers because his/her Governmental Aggregation program has changed suppliers, opt-out notices are the normal and desired means of communication with the customer.

Buying Group Description:

A single community seeking natural gas offers for Residential and Commercial customers.

Resolutions:

• Brought the issue to the attention of the new and former suppliers along with that of the local utility and state regulator.
• The local utility developed computer system workarounds to prevent certain notices from going out. They also eliminated the need for any action on the part of the former supplier. They were able to recode the buying group customer's accounts as being served by the new supplier.
• The local utility sent confirmation letters to all customers who remained in the buying group served by the new supplier.
• This process initiated and facilitated by Mark Burns eliminated the need for "drop notices" being sent by the prior supplier. Had they been sent, customers would have thought they were being dropped from the community's program when all that was actually happening was a change in suppliers. This prevented a great deal of confusion that would have led to numerous calls to city hall.

• Facilitated a process whereby all parties agreed that the rules did not fit this situation and if literally applied would defeat the purpose of the rules.
• The new supplier sent opt-out notices to all eligible customers informing them of the new program's price and terms and conditions.
• The new supplier began service and sent welcome letters to the participating customers.
• Press releases were created and properly timed to get the word out during this period of possible confusion.