PUBLIC HEARING ON THE VILLAGE OF ST BERNARD NATURAL GAS AGGREGATION PROGRAM PLAN OF OPERATION AND GOVERNANCE

PUBLIC HEARING ON THE VILLAGE OF ST BERNARD NATURAL GAS AGGREGATION PROGRAM PLAN OF OPERATION AND GOVERNANCE The Village Council of St Bernard, Ohio will hold two public hearings on the Village's Natural Gas Aggregation Program Plan of Operation and Governance ("Plan"). The hearings will be held at 1:30pm on Monday, January 5, 2026, and 5:30pm on Thursday, January 8, 2026. Both hearings will take place at 110 Washington Ave St Bernard, OH 45217. On November 4, 2025, the Village of St Bernard voters authorized the Village to aggregate retail natural gas loads in the Village and for that purpose to enter into service agreements to facilitate for those loads the purchase and sale of natural gas, such aggregation to occur automatically except where any eligible person opts out. The Village intends to form a governmental natural gas aggregation program ("Program") for the purchase of natural gas on behalf of the Village residents and to submit its Plan to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio ("PUCO") pursuant to PUCO Regulation and Ohio law. The Village shall develop an opt-out natural gas aggregation program following the procedures set forth in Ohio Revised Code Section 4929.26. Subject to the final approval of the Village Council, the Village will enter into a Natural Gas Supply Agreement with the selected supplier. The Supply Agreement may provide a fixed rate, a capped rate and/or a variable rate for eligible customers, which is expected to provide more price certainty and stability than the rates currently offered by the local natural gas distribution utility(ies). The contract rate is anticipated to begin on or after March 2026, and to continue for a term not to exceed 36 months. All eligible customers of the local natural gas distribution utility(ies) who do not opt out of the Program will be included in the Village's aggregate. All customers eligible to be included in the Village's aggregate will receive a Notice by mail regarding their right to opt out of the Program. The Notice will explain the rates, terms and conditions, and general information regarding the Program. If a customer does not wish to be included in the Program, the customer will have 21 days to opt out of the Program free of charge by returning an enclosed post card or calling the indicated toll-free telephone number. New customers moving into the Village will be given the opportunity to opt out in future mailings. Customers moving within the Village will retain their status under the Program. Aggregate customers will continue to receive one bill from their local natural gas distribution utility. December 22, 29 2025 LWOO0421118