SIDNEY, NE — Several Nebraskans now have the choice to select the price they'll pay for natural gas for up to the next three years. 

The sign up period is open now through April 22, for the Nebraska Choice Gas Program, which is overseen by the Nebraska Public Service Commission and administered by Black Hills Energy. 

As part of the program, eligible Black Hills Energy customers can choose one of seven natural gas suppliers and lock in the rate they will pay for the utility. The suppliers include: Black Hills Energy Services, Public Alliance for Community Energy (ACE), Uncle Frank Energy Services, Vista Energy Marketing, Constellation Energy, Symmetry Energy and WoodRiver Energy LLC. 

Eligible customers should have received a selection packet in the mail before the selection process began on March 18. No matter who you select as the supplier, Black Hills Energy will still handle all distribution, meter reading, billing and customer service. 

They Choice Gas Program started in 1998 and was created to encourage competition and lower prices for natural gas. 

Sidney Electric Department superintendent Mike Palmer says making any choice is better than allowing your rate to rollover to the new year because then the supplier automatically assigns a price to you. 

"If there's one lasting thing we want to make sure people understand it's to go out and make your selection," he said. "If you go to the rollover rate, it's always typically than if you actually go and select your supplier."

Palmer encourages Sidney residents to choose ACE as the town is an ACE member community. ACE is a not-for-profit natural gas supplier with 75 member communities. Since the supplier is not-for-profit, any revenue they make is distributed among the member communities through ACE's revenue return program. Since its inception in 1998, ACE has returned over $3 million, including about $226,000 to Sidney. 

While ACE could benefit the community through the revenue return, he says people should pick whatever supplier fits their needs the best. 

Click here for more information on how to sign up for the program. People can sign up through the supplier's website, over the phone or using the selection forms that were mailed out. Websites and phone numbers for all the suppliers are listed in the link. Those hoping to sign up will need their account number and control number.