SOPEC- Cleveland Community Choice Aggregation

No action is required. All eligible customers are automatically enrolled in the program.

If you are currently contracted with an independent energy supplier, you were not automatically enrolled — but you are eligible. You can call 1-888-733-8512 to enroll.

Cleveland customers in the FirstEnergy / Illuminating Company utility territory are automatically eligible. However, there are exceptions:

• Customers enrolled in PIPP are not affected by rate increases, as their bills are based on household income and remain consistent year-round.
• Customers contracted with an independent energy supplier will not be automatically enrolled. These customers are eligible and can call 1-888-733-8512 to enroll.
• Accounts that use more than 700,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) annually are not eligible.
• If your account is registered on the PUCO Do-Not-Aggregate list, you are not eligible.

If your most recent electric bill lists AEP Energy as the supplier with a rate of $0.09236 per kWh, you are already enrolled in the program.

To learn more about how to read your Illuminating Company electric bill, visit  www.sopec-oh.gov/s/How-to-Read-Electric-Bill-web-FE-nj5j.pdf

You may be able to withdraw from your current supplier with an early or no termination fee, but please check with your supplier directly. Once your contract ends — and if you meet the program's eligibility criteria — you will be automatically enrolled in the City's electricity aggregation program.

There is no cost to enroll in the program, and no fees to leave the SOPEC program. If you are unsure of your status, please call 1-888-733-8512.

We advise that you DO NOT sign anything. Instead, write down the representative’s name and company information, and immediately contact PUCO at 800-686-7876.

These companies are not part of the City’s Community Choice Aggregation Program and may lock you into an unfavorable or misleading contract.

If PUCO confirms the electricity supplier is certified and you choose not to join the City of Cleveland’s aggregation program, we strongly recommend asking the following questions before agreeing to anything:

• Are you offering a fixed-rate electricity supply contract?

• What is the fixed rate price?

• How long will that fixed rate last? One month? Six months? A year? What happens to my price after that?

• Can I end the contract without an early termination fee or other penalties if I choose to join the City’s aggregation program later?

The third year 12-month fixed rate is more than the previous year’s rate because of unavoidable market conditions that are impacting supply rates across the region. Starting in June 2025, supply rates started to go up due to increases in the part of the supply rate known as capacity charges. Capacity charges are like insurance against power outages. These charges ensure there is enough electricity available during periods of peak electricity usage, for example, on the hottest summer days.

HOW ARE CAPACITY CHARGES DETERMINED?: The regional electric grid, known as PJM, spans 13 states and part of its role is to make sure the electrical grid has the capacity to produce enough power at all times. PJM runs an auction to purchase this electricity from power plants that can meet emergency demand. The capacity prices at auction increased significantly.

WHO IS AFFECTED?: Everyone in the PJM regional grid (from the City of Chicago to the east coast) will see these rate increases, not just SOPEC customers. Capacity charges are passed along to all customers as a part of the supply rate and SOPEC cannot control these charges.

WHY DID THE RATES INCREASE?: The spike in capacity prices was driven by increased load (e.g. data centers), revised PJM market rules, power plant retirements, and a backlog in PJM’s interconnection queue, leading to delays in constructing new power facilities.

If you choose to opt out, you will default to the utility’s Price to Compare — currently 7.1872 cents per kWh from April 1, 2025, through May 31, 2025 (note: this rate varies throughout the year).

If you prefer not to be automatically enrolled in the City’s program, you can visit the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) Apples to Apples electricity comparison tool or call 800-686-7826 for help finding your own electricity supplier.

Additional questions to ask when selecting a supplier are available on the PUCO website:
https://puco.ohio.gov/utilities/electricity/resources/choosing-an-electric-supplier

The SOPEC electricity aggregation program has saved residents and small businesses an estimated $20 million in the first two years (compared to the utility’s default rate or Price to Compare)! Program rates have been consistently below the utility’s default rate since its start in August 2023.

The table below shows the SOPEC aggregation electric rate compared to the default utility rate.