Skip to main content
Now serving Ohio · Pennsylvania · Texas · Maryland · Illinois · New York
Seenra.
← The Seenra blog

Ohio aggregation: opt-in vs opt-out programs explained

State spotlight →

NOPEC, SOPEC, and county aggregation buy power for thousands of households at once. The opt-out window, opt-in alternatives, and why both can exit.

Harry Parker

Energy Consultant, Seenra Inc

State spotlight8 min readPublished

Featured infographic

Opt-in vs opt-out aggregation flow

Opt-out: auto-enroll, 21-day opt-out window. Opt-in: explicit signup. Both bind the participating municipality residents to a single supplier contract.

Open graph image · /og/switch-flow.png

Government aggregation in Ohio combines thousands of residential meters into a single buying pool. The aggregation negotiates a bundled supply rate that typically beats the utility SSO for most years. Opt-out aggregation auto-enrolls residents with a 21-day opt-out window. Opt-in aggregation requires explicit signup. NOPEC (northeast Ohio) and SOPEC (southeast Ohio) are the two largest aggregations, combined serving over 1 million Ohio residential accounts.

How aggregation buying power works

A municipality (or coalition of municipalities) passes an ordinance to aggregate residential and small-commercial supply contracts. The aggregation hires a procurement consultant or runs an RFP directly to find a supplier willing to lock a bundled rate.

Suppliers offer aggregation rates below their residential single-customer rates because the customer-acquisition cost is amortized across thousands of accounts. The savings flow to participating households.

Opt-in vs opt-out structures

Opt-out aggregation auto-enrolls residents in the participating municipality. Residents receive a notice and have 21 days to opt out before enrollment takes effect. After enrollment, residents can opt out at any time with no penalty.

Opt-in aggregation requires explicit signup. Residents must actively enroll through the aggregation. Opt-in tends to have lower participation rates but is sometimes required for specific renewable-energy aggregations.

NOPEC and SOPEC — Ohio's largest aggregations

NOPEC (Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council) serves over 700,000 accounts across 220+ municipalities. NOPEC negotiates electricity and gas supply contracts and runs ongoing rate re-shopping.

SOPEC (Southeast Ohio Public Energy Council) serves southeast Ohio similarly. Both aggregations consistently beat utility SSO pricing by 8 to 14 percent over the contract term.

Lock the rate before the next reset.

Seenra runs the supplier shortlist in 5 minutes. No credit pull, no on-site visit, no service interruption. Forever free for households.

Get my fixed-rate quote →

Common questions

Quick answers from the editorial desk

Is opt-out aggregation legal?
Yes in Ohio under state law. The municipality must pass an enabling ordinance and the aggregation must follow PUCO disclosure rules. Residents always have the right to opt out at any time with no penalty.
How do I leave an aggregation if I am unhappy?
Send a written opt-out notice or call the aggregation directly. The opt-out takes effect at the next meter read. After opt-out, you can either stay on utility SSO or pick a different supplier directly.
Is aggregation better than direct supplier shopping?
Usually marginal. Aggregation typically beats utility SSO by 8 to 14 percent. Direct supplier shopping can sometimes beat aggregation by 2 to 6 percent if you time the lock well. Either way, aggregation is better than staying on SSO passively.
Does aggregation cost anything?
No to participants. The municipality may charge a small per-meter administrative fee to the supplier as part of the contract, but this is typically embedded in the rate, not separately billed. Confirm the specific aggregation terms before participating.

Further reading

Pillar guide, cluster siblings, and state pages cited above

Sources

More in state spotlight

Related editorial

9 min · State spotlight

Ohio electricity rates 2026: AEP, Duke, FirstEnergy compared

AEP Ohio sits at 12.4 cents per kWh standard service. Duke at 11.9. FirstEnergy at 13.1. Why the spread, and how to switch on each utility.

8 min · State spotlight

PUCO standard offer vs CRES suppliers — what changed

PUCO sets the price-to-compare; CRES suppliers compete below it. The 2026 reforms, the certification list, and how to read a CRES disclosure.

8 min · State spotlight

Cleveland natural gas: who delivers, who supplies, who charges

Dominion Energy Ohio delivers gas to Cleveland. Suppliers compete on the supply line. The local-rate-class breakdown and how to switch.

Done reading? Lock the rate.

5-minute switch. Same utility, same wires. No credit pull on residential. Forever free for households.

Lower my bill

Lock your energy rate

5-minute switch · No credit pull · Forever free

Lower my bill