Romeoville residents urged to approve electricity plan

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Updated: March 21, 2012 8:04AM

ROMEOVILLE — Trustees recently heard details about the electrical aggregation referendum proposal that will go before voters on March 20.

A coalition of 23 Will County municipalities have banded together under the guidance of the Will County Governmental League in order to bid for more competitive electricity rates for residents and small businesses.

If approved by voters throughout the county, the group could represent some 211,000 households and 563,000 people, the largest group in Illinois, said Hugh O’Hara, transportation manager for the league. O’Hara said the customers have a better chance of getting more favorable rates if they bid as a group.

“If you go out and buy in a larger group you can get a better price,” O’Hara said.

He noted the savings not only would be for residential customers but also small businesses with electric needs of 100 kilowatts or less.

Steve Guy of DaCott Energy Services, the firm that will handle the logistics of the aggregation bidding process said that third-party electrical suppliers spend between $65 and $90 to sign up a new customer.

“That’s why they drop the cost considerably,” Guy said.

O’Hara said customers will have the ability to opt out of the aggregation coalition, can switch back to their ComEd supplier at any time, and still will be able to call ComEd with service and billing issues. Residents also will continue to receive only one electric bill.

Other municipalities that have bid for electric rates in previous years have saved between 20 percent and 30 percent of the current ComEd rate of 7.7 cents per kilowatt hour, O’Hara said.

“It’s a substantial savings,” he said.

Residents interested in saving money on their electric bill but not interested in declaring a political party preference to vote in the March 20 primary can request an electrical referendum-only ballot on Election Day, O’Hara said.

Village Manager Steve Gulden noted an informational flier will be sent out to residents explaining the referendum in detail. He said an information session will be held March 3 at Village Hall.

Trustee Sue Micklevitz encouraged residents to vote yes.

“This is an opportunity to save some money,” she said.

More information about the electrical aggregation referendum vote can be found at www.willelectricaggregation.org.