Tagged: electric aggregation

The men running to be Hamilton’s next mayor bring similar views and experiences to the race.

Voters in more than 200 communities will decide this fall whether to approve electric aggregation. Those towns in western Illinois include Galesburg, Rushville, Carthage, Mt Sterling, Beardstown, Virginia, Vermont, Knoxville, Quincy, Mendon, Columbus, and Coatsburg.

“The idea behind electric aggregation is the theory – as in other consumer purchases – that if you can combine your purchasing power with others that theoretically you should be able to get a better rate for it,” said Doug Scott, Chairman, Illinois Commerce Commission.

Beardstown is the latest city in West-Central Illinois to look at electric aggregation to see if it will save residents money on their electric bills. The city will put a referendum before voters in November.

Mayor Bob Walters says city council members listened to a presentation by Southern Illinois Municipal Electric Cooperative this week. He says the members asked general questions about the process. He says they seemed satisfied with the answers.

If  voters approve the referendum, the city would purchase electricity on their behalf in an effort to get the lowest rate.

Carthage will pay less for electricity for city operations beginning next month. The city has signed a three-year contract with Ameren Energy Marketing at a bit more than 4.3 cents per kilowatt-hour.

Mayor Jim Nightingale says the city council solicited bids from several energy companies.  He says the response was overwhelming and frustrating.

He says, “Once a company contacts us their sales people just hound you to death.”

Macomb won't be joining the list of Illinois communities going on the open market to buy electricity in bulk for consumers.

A 2010 Illinois law allows municipalities to engage in electric aggregation and presumably secure cheaper prices for residents and small businesses.

Residents of Ipava, Table Grove, and Canton voted in favor of such plans during the March election.

But Macomb aldermen feel there is no evidence of significant savings.