Politics & Government

Romeoville Could Seek Lower Electricity Rates

Village partners with Will County Governmental League in effort to broker lower rates from outside suppliers.

Starting next summer, your electric bill could get cheaper.

The village has joined with other members of the Will County Intergovernmental League in plans to try to broker lower rates from ComEd competitors.

The organization, a nonprofit that represents county municipalities in regional issues, voted unanimously to pursue electric aggregation for its members.

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“What we’re investigating right now is aggregating communities and going through the Will County Governmental League,” Noak said. While communities — not to mention individuals — have the ability to seek bids from electricity providers other than ComEd, the idea is that by joining together, the league could help negotiate a lower rate.

The process would apply only to residential and non-industrial business clients. Even the village’s power use, Noak said, could not be lowered by electricity aggregation, since municipalities must solicit separate bids for their power supply.

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If the village were to ink a deal with a new electric company, ComEd would continue to deliver the power, but the new company would provide the actual wattage.

“Your electric bill is divided between the supply and delivery [sides],” Noak said. That’s because recent legislation forced ComEd to sell off the power generation portion of its business.

“They only own the lines,” Noak said. “They’re just delivering energy.”

So far, both Crest Hill and New Lenox have taken advantage of the legislation, partnering to secure a rate from Direct Energy officials said on their electric bills.

“Both communities saw a large reduction in the supply side of their electric bill,” Noak said.

Romeoville residents could see similar savings, but first, local voters would have to sign off on the plan.

Voters would have to pass a referendum giving the village the go-ahead to seek outside bids. Noak said the soonest that could happen would be during the primary election next March.

Even if voters approve of the plan, individuals could still opt out and choose to stay with ComEd, Noak said.

If voters approved the measure, the governmental league would hold off on seeking outside bids until July, when ComEd typically sets its rates.

“We would wait to go into the bidding process until that rate is set,” Noak said.

In May, the Illinois Commerce Commission , a move that would increase the average household electric bill by more than 3 percent.


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