Another Illinois city is considering Electric aggregation as a way to help residents substantially save on their electric bills. The Monticello City Council voted to put a referendum on municipal aggregation to a vote in April.
Municipal aggregation, which is the process of bidding as a group for electricity, thus lowering rates, would be the cause of significant savings for residents. If approved, Monticello residents stand to receive substantial savings based upon the outcome of similar action taken by other communities last year. 54 communities voted “yes” for electric aggregation last year, locking in an average rate of 4.09 cents per kilowatt-hour, which is almost 40% lower than the current Ameren rate of 5.65 cents per kilowatt-hour. This creates an average savings of about $300 per year.
But these savings are up to the discretion of the voters. This measure will appear on the April 9th ballot, and will concern every Monticello resident. If approved, every resident will be opted into the new plan automatically, and as a result they will begin to purchase electricity at the severely reduced rates. Should any residents decide they do not want to purchase their electricity with the new provider, they will be given several opportunities to opt out of the aggregation plan and continue to use Ameren. Ameren’s standard delivery rates will not change based upon the decision of voters in April.
Monticello hired Good Energy, a consulting firm who specializes in the municipal aggregation process, to facilitate their process. Good Energy is expected to help the city through the entire process, including educating the public and helping to negotiate the best price on delivery.
If you would like more information on municipal aggregation, click here. For the full article, see below.
Source: The News-Gazette
