Ohio Pen - Columbus Residents to Begin Receiving 100% Clean Energy in June

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Residents and small businesses in Columbus will begin receiving electricity from renewable energy resources in June 2021 through a voter-approved community choice aggregation program known as Clean Energy Columbus (CEC). In November 2020, 76% of voters approved the city's plan to provide electric customers in Columbus with 100% clean energy from new Ohio-based wind and solar.

The aggregation effort began with Columbus Mayor Andrew J. Ginther's 2020 commitment to provide city residents with clean renewable energy by 2022. Following voter approval, the City, the City's aggregation consultant, Trebel Energy, and the City's preferred supplier AEP Energy began the process of implementing the program and securing renewable resources for the city's generation needs. CEC will be the largest electric aggregation in Ohio and one of the largest in the United States.

"Clean Energy Columbus is a key component in our aggressive goal of making Columbus carbon-neutral by 2050 and will bring a multitude of health and economic benefits," said Mayor Ginther. "The effects of climate change are a social justice and equity issue because of the impacts on neighborhoods that have faced socio-economic challenges. This program will not only help us meet our long-term climate goals, but ensure those on the frontlines of climate change are benefitting most from our efforts ."

Under CEC, June 2021 to June 2022 will serve as a transition period whereby renewable energy credits will be used to provide clean generation sources. AEP Energy will then begin to blend in new Ohio-based wind and solar as the projects complete construction and begin flowing power to the grid.

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With the construction and maintenance of these new wind and solar assets, the program will support nearly 4,500 jobs in Ohio. Through the program, the City and AEP Energy will also form a Clean Energy Workforce Development Committee to support building a diverse, local workforce pipeline into clean energy and energy efficiency jobs of the future. Each entity will invest $150,000 annually for a total of $300,000 each year to support the work of the Committee.

"AEP Energy is proud to have been chosen to partner with the City of Columbus in the fulfillment of its commitment to providing 100% Ohio-based renewable energy. Columbus is not only the location of AEP's corporate headquarters, but it is home to many of our employees who live, work and raise their families in this great city and surrounding areas. We are excited to play a role in this transformative initiative and help drive the development of new clean energy in the state," said Greg Hall, president of AEP Energy.

Residents who have already switched to a competitive retail supplier can join CEC by visiting www.CleanEnergyColumbus.org or calling 1-888-307-0264 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. or Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET. Residents enrolled with a retail supplier are encouraged to check with their current provider to ensure they are not subject to an early contract termination fee.

Residents who participate in CEC will continue to receive their monthly electric bill from AEP Ohio, the local utility responsible for delivering the electricity. While AEP Energy is an affiliate of AEP Ohio, it is a competitive retail electricity supplier and does not represent the utility.

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Columbus residents will soon receive "opt-out" letters informing them of their option to decline participation in the city's aggregation. Customers will have 21 days from the date on their opt-out letter to waive participation. Opt-outs can occur by mail or by phone. There is no cost to enroll in the program, and customers can choose to leave the program at any time without financial penalty. Customers who wish to participate do not need to take any action.

Providing Columbus residents with clean, renewable energy is part of a broader push by the City to lead on climate action and was supported by the Bloomberg Philanthropies American Cities Climate Challenge. Columbus is one of the 25 winning cities in the Climate Challenge, which is helping cities set and surpass ambitious climate goals by ramping up action in the two highest-emitting sectors in cities: transportation and buildings.

"Clean energy means clean air—and healthier Ohioans," said Stefan Schaffer, City Strategist for the American Cities Climate Challenge at the Natural Resources Defense Council. "Clean Energy Columbus will reduce the amount of electricity sourced from fossil fuels and replace it with locally-generated renewable energy sources, all while investing in workforce development and energy efficiency programs for low-income residents, and centering historically disenfranchised communities to receive these benefits. So many wins for our city coming out of this program that are aligned with all the other clean energy and sustainability projects Columbus has been driving as part of the American Cities Climate Challenge."

About AEP Energy

AEP Energy, a subsidiary of American Electric Power is a certified competitive retail electricity and natural gas supply provider operating in 28 service territories in six states and Washington, D.C. AEP Energy supplies electricity and natural gas solutions for more than 500,000 residential and business customers and takes pride in making it easy for customers to buy, manage and use energy. Based in Columbus and Chicago, AEP Energy is committed to excellence by delivering value, innovative energy solutions and excellent customer service.

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