Town programs, in plain words

The town picks one company and one price. Homes on the utility's own price are moved to that company, unless they say no.

Your utility still delivers your energy and sends your bill. Only the price part changes.

In an opt-out program, you are put in unless you say no. You get a letter first. To stay out, follow the steps in the letter by the date it gives.

In an opt-in program, you join only if you sign up.

Homes that already picked their own company usually stay with it.

Look at the supply part of your bill. A town program shows the name of the company the town picked. Judy's town pages list many towns' programs, with the price and how to leave.

In Ohio, an opt-out program needs a vote by the town. You get a new chance to opt out every three years, with no fee to switch. Ohio homes on PIPP can't be put in a town program.

Not always. A town price can be lower than the utility's price for a while and higher later, because the utility's price changes on set days.

Judy compares your town's price like any other price. Our studies compare town prices with the utility price, town by town.

Many town programs let you leave any time with no fee. Check the letter or the program's page, and call the number it gives.

If you leave, you go back to your utility's own price, or you can pick a company.

• NOPEC: a group of Northeast Ohio communities that buys power and gas together.
• Community Power: New Hampshire's name for town programs.
• Municipal aggregation: the name in Illinois and Massachusetts.