Energy Choice Options

Learn what your options are when it comes to buying natural gas

 There are several options when it comes to buy natural gas. If you’re eligible you can choose what works best for you and your budget. We'll take care of the rest.

What are my options for buying natural gas?

You have several to choose from:

Energy Choice Agreement

An Energy Choice Agreement, or contract, is an arrangement for setting the cost of natural gas between a supplier and a customer. These agreements can have a fixed rate, a variable rate, or a combination of both. A fixed rate remains the same each month for the duration of the contact, while variable rates can change depending on the nature of the agreement. Some agreements can even have a combination: a fixed price for a period of time and then variable afterwards, for example.

Aggregation, or "Group-Buying" Program

Another option to consider when shopping for natural gas is joining an aggregation buying group if one is available in your area. A large buying group may be able to get a better price for the group members than you might get on your own, and it may include other benefits such as energy use analysis and management. Typically, when local governments organize aggregation programs they will appear as a ballot issue and, if passed, generally are initiated on an opt-out basis, which means residents are automatically enrolled unless they choose not to participate by replying to the opt-out notice. Opt-in aggregation programs enable customers to join on an individual basis at the customer’s specific request.

Standard Choice Offer

The Standard Choice Offer (SCO) is the default rate most residential customers and small nonresidential customers who are eligible for Energy Choice but have not chosen a supplier or joined a municipal aggregation program, pay for their natural gas consumption. The SCO rate is a variable rate determined monthly by the market price for gas (i.e., the NYMEX month-end settlement price) plus a retail price adjustment determined in an annual auction process. Residential customers and nonresidential customers with annual usage of 200 Mcf or less can elect to be placed on the SCO rate. It may also be elected by medium nonresidential customers with annual usage of more than 200 Mcf and up to 500 Mcf by contacting Enbridge Gas Ohio.

Monthly Variable Rate

The MRR replaced the Monthly Variable Rate (MVR) program in July 2020. Customers on the MRR are charged a lower of the monthly variable rate submitted by their assigned MRR supplier or a “median MRR price” if the participating supplier's submitted rate is higher. The median MRR price is determined each month based on the median of each MRR supplier's lowest monthly variable rate offer posted on the PUCO's Energy Choice Ohio website. All MRR suppliers must charge a variable rate at or below the median MRR determined for each month. More information regarding the MRR may be found in Enbridge Gas Ohio's tariffs.

The Standard Choice Offer is the rate most residential and small nonresidential customers who are eligible for Energy Choice, but have not chosen a supplier or joined a municipal aggregation program, pay for their natural gas consumption. These customers are assigned to a retail natural gas supplier and pay the same monthly variable SCO rate, regardless of the assigned supplier.