By Stephanie Grinnell
Staff Writer
    For many people, the cost of fuel is a topic of discussion around dinner tables and in grocery store checkout lines this winter. Discussions gathered intensity following the alleged failure of three Biddeford oil companies, Veilleux Oil, Price Rite and Perron Fuels, to honor contracts made with pre-paid customers at a fixed rate.
    The companies, owned by brothers Nicholas Curro III and Billy Curro, are under investigation by the Biddeford Police Department and Maine Attorney General’s Office for allegedly failing to honor contracts with customers. Police estimate as many as 300 people were impacted through pre-payment for heating oil and propane that was never delivered.     
    Records of the three companies were seized Jan. 22 by Biddeford police. As of press time, the only charges pending against Nicholas Curro III were driving to endanger and criminal mischief, stemming from an incident Jan. 18 when Curro backed his vehicle into a news crew’s van.
    More options for less expensive fuel are emerging in Maine, including the Our Town Energy Alliance based in Barnstead, N.H. The alliance pools required energy needs of its members and uses the numbers to negotiate contracts with large fuel companies. The companies who receive propane contracts have the lowest bid, said Dan Barraford of Our Town Energy Alliance. Members who pay an annual fee of $25 choose to accept or reject the bids from any of the companies and for the remainder of the contract deal with the oil company, not Our Town Energy Alliance.
    Barraford said Our Town Energy Alliance is open to most residents of New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine and Massachusetts. They currently negotiate contracts for heating oil, propane and kerosene. Most of the area in Maine not covered lies in northern areas of the state. There are cut-off dates to sign up for the program so prices can be negotiated with a specific number of customers in mind but there are several negotiations throughout the winter.
    Several area residents have signed up for the program, including John O’Leary of Old Orchard Beach.
    “I was a little skeptical,” he said, adding the price he saw listed in a local newspaper seemed to be too good to be true.
    O’Leary is a second year member of the energy alliance. At first, O’Leary said he thought the price was too good to be true, so he called Our Town Energy Alliance and asked.
    “I’ve found it to be very good. I just wish now I had told them 600 gallons,” he said, adding he only purchased 500 gallons of propane this year. “I was very satisfied with them. I joined again this year.”
    O’Leary said he hasn’t encountered any problems with the contract or deliveries. He also has service performed on his heating system as part of his contract with Our Town Energy Alliance. O’Leary said he is on a fixed income and is happy to know what the price of heating his home is going to be. He receives deliveries at least once every 30 days and does not pre-pay for fuel.
    Sanford resident Rita Roux joined Our Town Energy Alliance this year and said the automatic deliveries specified in her contract have given her peace of mind.
    “They’ve been awesome. You never run out,” she said, adding she plans to let her friends and neighbors know about her experience. “If they can save what I saved, it’s worth it.”
    Roux said she receives the same services as in past years, but pays less. Currently, Roux said she pays $2.42 per gallon of heating oil and $1.90 per gallon of propane. As of press time, the average cost of a gallon of heating oil was $3.22 per gallon and propane was $2.96 per gallon, which means Roux currently saves an estimated $80 on every 100 gallons of oil and $106 on every 100 gallons of propane.
    “That’s quite a savings,” she said.
    Craig MacDonald of Kennebunk said he has been a member for two or three years.
    “It’s great. The only thing you have to do is renew,” he said. “It’s pretty seamless and you are pretty much guaranteed a better rate.”
    MacDonald said staff at Our Town Energy Alliance are also extremely professional and take the time to explain the process and answer questions.
    Bryan Christoforo is a first year member. He said he uses a lot of propane to heat his house in Saco and worked with his dealer last year to get what he thought was a good price. He heard about Our Town Energy Alliance and signed up on the last day to negotiate for that period.
    “Even with my late arrival I am paying less for propane this year, $1.74 per gallon, than last year, $2.10 per gallon. I thought last year I got a deal,” said Christoforo. “I still can’t believe that with the way fuel process are going that I am paying less this year than last year.”
    He said he has already signed up and paid his membership dues for next year.
    Contact Our Town Energy Alliance at 603-776-5322 or visit www.otchoice.com.
    Customers of Veilleux, Perron and Price Rite can contact Biddeford’s Health and Welfare office for assistance. Biddeford Mayor Joanne Twomey announced Citizen’s Energy will provide 100 gallons of heating oil for hundreds area families. Applications are also available on the city Web site, www.biddefordmaine.org.    
    Contact Stephanie Grinnell by calling 282-4337 ext. 213 or email news@inthecourier.com.