COLUMBUS, OHIO (Nov. 3, 2021) – The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) today ordered Ohio’s utilities to serve customers of two competitive retail energy service providers. Ohio law requires electric and natural gas distribution utilities to arrange for service if a competitive supplier is no longer able to provide service for any reason.
Gasearch
The PUCO approved the removal of competitive retail natural gas supplier Gasearch, LLC from Dominion Energy Ohio’s energy choice program. On Oct. 20, 2021, Gasearch announced its intention to close the business and cease supplying natural gas by the end of October, in violation of its obligations as a participant in the program.
Customers of Gasearch will be automatically transitioned to Dominion’s standard choice offer or monthly retail rate (with annual usage over 200 mcf) or another natural gas supplier of their choice. No customer will experience a service outage due to this change.
Switch Energy
The PUCO also approved the termination of service from Switch Energy LLC, a competitive retail electric service provider. On Nov. 2, 2021, regional transmission organization PJM Interconnection directed Ohio’s electric distribution utilities to return customers of Switch Energy to standard service after the supplier did not meet their financial obligations.
Customers of Switch Energy will be automatically served by their local utility and no customer will experience a service outage.
Current Switch Energy customers will receive a letter from their utility informing them their service has been returned to the utility’s “standard service offer”. Impacted customers will not need to do anything in response to the change, however, may decide to enroll with a new supplier.
Customers who are interested in choosing an energy choice supplier can compare rate offers by visiting the PUCO’s Energy Choice Ohio website.
For more information, please visit www.energychoice.ohio.gov or www.PUCO.ohio.gov, or call the PUCO Consumer Call Center at (800) 686-PUCO (7826).