The McLean County Board finally approves a contract with electric aggregation firm Good Energy. This vote allows the consulting firm to begin educating the public on what electric aggregation is and how it affects the residents of McLean county. It will also allow Good Energy to begin planning for negotiations with electric providers for a lower kilowatt-hour price, if the referendum passes.
Electric aggregation is based upon the principle that buying in bulk saves money. Should the referendum pass, it will allow Ameren customers in unincorporated McLean county to come together to purchase electricity at significantly lower rates from a different provider than Ameren.
There was, however, concern from several board members who wondered if it made sense to sign a contract now. Members George Wendt and Chuck Erickson thought it was too soon to sign a contract at this stage in the process. “By approving this, we’re endorsing the plan,” Said Wendt. “We should stay neutral.”
Several other members also wanted to wait until after the vote on April 9th to sign the contract. But Jerod McMorris, a consultant with Good Energy, explained that waiting to sign the contract would delay the course of action and would not allow the residents of McLean County to realize the benefits of lower rates.
In addition to advising the county during the aggregation process and informing the residents of the benefits of aggregation, the contract stipulates that Good Energy must determine which residents are eligible for electric aggregation. This information is crucial to the negotiation process, which is slated to start in mid-May if the referendum passes. By delaying, McMorris warned, that information would not be ready in time for negotiations.
If you would like more information about electric aggregation, click here. For the full article, see below.
Source: Pantagraph.com
