Aggregation is bulk buying applied to electricity and natural gas. Aggregation brings the benefits of bulk buying to hundreds of small consumers whose loads are aggregated into one larger, more attractive load. The larger load profile helps a community develop a competitive energy buying strategy.
Natural gas aggregation combines the retail natural gas loads of residents in a community that choose to join the community aggregation buying pool. By combining the loads of its residents, the community can be more effective in procuring the natural gas supply for the community, than an individual customer.
Several communities surrounding Cincinnati have already pooled together their residents’ loads to form large buying groups so that they can enjoy the benefits of natural gas aggregation.
To enable aggregation, a community must pose to voters the question of whether they desire to participate in an electricity and/or natural gas aggregation program. A majority voting 'Yes' to the aggregation gives the community government the authority to establish and manage the aggregation program on behalf of their residents.