Dive Brief:

• The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) on Wednesday approved the winning bids in the first wholesale auction held by Dayton Power and Light Co.
• Three suppliers submitted winning bids in the auction, which will impact service rates for DP&L's retail rates through May 2017, though the names of those bidders will be kept confidential for 21 days.
• 37% of DP&L's customers currently buy power from other suppliers, since Ohio is an deregulated market, and the utility is expected to divest its 3,800 megawatts of generation by the close of 2017.

Dive Insight:

PUCO Chairman Todd A. Snitchler called the wholesale auction results "positive."

“As each of Ohio’s electric distribution utilities move towards market based rates there’s evidence that competition is working to keep prices lower for customers,” he said.

DP&L is currently moving towards a competitive, market-based structure, based on an approved electric security plan (ESP). More auctions will follow as that plan goes forward, though PUCO isn't ready to say yet whether the most recent auction will cause customer rates to go up or down.