Powell residents can learn how the city's new electric aggregation program will affect their bills at a free public information session Aug. 5, from 6 to 7 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall, 47 Hall St.
The session, hosted by the Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council, comes one week before the Aug. 12 opt-out deadline for the program, which launches Sept. 1.
What's changing
Starting with September electricity usage, all eligible Powell residents and small businesses will be automatically enrolled in the NOPEC aggregation program unless they opt out or already have a contract with another supplier. NOPEC will supply the electricity, while AEP continues to deliver power, maintain lines and send monthly bills.
For the first three months of service, September through November, the fixed supply rate will be 9.99 cents per kilowatt-hour, according to the city's Electric Aggregation page. AEP Ohio's price to compare is 10.97 cents per kWh through Sept. 30, based on the NOPEC opt-out letter filed with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio on July 22 and confirmed by residents' bills shared on the city's Facebook page.
That roughly 1-cent-per-kWh difference is in line with what NOPEC Director of Community Expansion Ross McDonald projected when he addressed City Council on June 16. "We believe that we are going to be able to provide savings day one for Powell residents," McDonald told council that night, when AEP's rate was still 10.12 cents.
How it got here
Powell voters approved electric aggregation by a 64% margin in November 2025. City Council then unanimously approved Resolution 2026-31 on June 2, authorizing City Manager Andrew White to execute an agreement with NOPEC. Council passed two enabling ordinances, 2026-11 and 2026-12, on June 16 by 6-0 votes with emergency clauses.
The city received four proposals in a competitive RFP process. A review committee that included White, City Engineer Aaron Stanford, Finance Director Samantha Borchers and Assistant City Manager Jeffrey Tyler ranked NOPEC first.
How to opt out
Residents who do not want to participate must submit their opt-out request by Aug. 12. Options include:
- Online at options.nopec.org
- By mail (using the form in the enrollment letter)
- By fax at 440-774-4422
There are no early termination fees. Residents who enroll can leave the program at any time without penalty. NOPEC also offers 12-month and 24-month fixed-rate options, a monthly variable rate and 100% renewable content plans. Its 24/7 Customer Care Center can be reached at 855-667-3201.
The program applies only to City of Powell residents. Liberty Township households are not affected.
After the introductory rate expires in November, accounts automatically move to NOPEC's Standard Program Price unless the customer selects a different option. The Sept. 1 program start date is the next major milestone; no council review of post-November pricing has been scheduled.
