SOPEC Learning Center
The Basics of Energy Utilities
The topics in this section deal with basic energy utility concepts, such as how to read utility bills, the basic services provided by utilities, and understanding default supply pricing and average monthly payment plans.
The Price-to-Compare (PTC) is the default energy supply rate that is charged by the electric utility company to those customers who have not enrolled in a retail energy contract for their electricity supply.
Natural gas transmission services are responsible for transporting natural gas from the point of production to the local distribution hub, often across state lines.
Average Monthly Payment (AMP) is a billing arrangement that allows utility customers to pay a fixed monthly bill based on their average usage from the prior year, with a true-up payment or credit every 12 months.
Natural gas supply services are responsible for extracting, refining, and storing natural gas for the grid.
The Standard-Choice-Offer (SCO) is the default energy supply rate that is charged by the utility company to those customers who have not enrolled with a retail natural gas company for their natural gas supply.
Billing and metering services provide utility customers with both fixed and volumetric billing charges that represent a fair share of the costs required to operate the utility grid and provide power to customers.
Distribution services provide the local delivery of power to utility customers in a manner that minimizes infrastructure costs and also maintains safety and reliability.
Transmission services deliver power across state lines from the point of production to the local distribution hub in a manner that minimizes congestion and infrastructure costs while also maintaining safety and reliability.
Generation services are responsible for producing the power used by the utility grid in a manner that minimizes systemwide production costs while maintaining safety and reliability.
Energy utility companies provide several important services for supply energy to their customers. The topics in this section deal with those services, such as the supply or production of natural gas and electric power, the transmission of natural gas and power across state lines, and the local distribution, metering, and billing of energy utilities.
Natural gas transmission services are responsible for transporting natural gas from the point of production to the local distribution hub, often across state lines.
Natural gas supply services are responsible for extracting, refining, and storing natural gas for the grid.
Billing and metering services provide utility customers with both fixed and volumetric billing charges that represent a fair share of the costs required to operate the utility grid and provide power to customers.
Distribution services provide the local delivery of power to utility customers in a manner that minimizes infrastructure costs and also maintains safety and reliability.
Transmission services deliver power across state lines from the point of production to the local distribution hub in a manner that minimizes congestion and infrastructure costs while also maintaining safety and reliability.
Generation services are responsible for producing the power used by the utility grid in a manner that minimizes systemwide production costs while maintaining safety and reliability.
The Price-to-Compare (PTC) is the default energy supply rate that is charged by the electric utility company to those customers who have not enrolled in a retail energy contract for their electricity supply.
The Standard-Choice-Offer (SCO) is the default energy supply rate that is charged by the utility company to those customers who have not enrolled with a retail natural gas company for their natural gas supply.
New to retail energy? No problem. Spend 3 minutes watching this quick video to help get oriented to Ohio’s deregulated energy market. Then feel free to browse the other topics and learn at your own pace.
A Certified Retail Energy Supplier (CRES) is a retail company that purchases wholesale quantities of power in future delivery months and then sells that power at a markup to individual customers through retail energy contracts.
PJM is a non-profit Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) that balances supply and demand on the power grid by coordinating the production of electricity across a 13-state region.
The FERC ordered modifications to the PJM Minimum Offer Pricing Rule (MOPR) that would adjust the capacity prices submitted by generation resources that receive out-of-market payments, such as state subsidies or renewable energy credit income.
The Ohio state legislature passed an important bill in 1999 that significantly changed the path of the energy industry in Ohio for decades to come and would lead to the retail energy market that Ohio enjoys today.
The Price-to-Compare (PTC) is the default energy supply rate that is charged by the electric utility company to those customers who have not enrolled in a retail energy contract for their electricity supply.
The Standard-Choice-Offer (SCO) is the default energy supply rate that is charged by the utility company to those customers who have not enrolled with a retail natural gas company for their natural gas supply.
The FERC is a federal agency with regulatory authority over the provision of interstate energy utility services, such as the transmission of power and natural gas across state lines.
The PUCO is a state agency with regulatory authority over Ohio’s investor-owned electric, natural gas, and water utilities, railroads, hazardous waste transportation, and towing services.
The Ohio Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee is a legislative committee in the Ohio Senate that typically introduces legislation to the Senate floor involving state energy policy.
The Ohio House Public Utilities Committee is a legislative committee in the Ohio House of Representatives that typically introduces legislation to the House floor involving state energy policy.
The FERC ordered modifications to the PJM Minimum Offer Pricing Rule (MOPR) that would adjust the capacity prices submitted by generation resources that receive out-of-market payments, such as state subsidies or renewable energy credit income.
The FERC ordered modifications to the PJM Minimum Offer Pricing Rule (MOPR) that would adjust the capacity prices submitted by generation resources that receive out-of-market payments, such as state subsidies or renewable energy credit income.
The Ohio Power Company (AEP Ohio) is seeking PUCO approval for a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) Rider and Green Tariff that would accompany the development of a 400 MW solar farm in Highland County, Ohio.
In 2014, the Ohio General Assembly passed a bill that placed a two-year freeze on the scheduled increases in Ohio’s Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) for utilities and other load serving entities.
In 2017, the Ohio House Public Utilities Committee introduced a bill that would create another two year freeze on the scheduled increases in Ohio’s Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) for utilities and load serving entities.