Crest Hill calculates savings on electricity
By Erin Biesen Correspondent December 7, 2012 11:34AM
Updated: January 10, 2013 6:29AM
Addressing questions from a Nov. 19 meeting, Mayor Ray Soliman explained last week how homeowners and small business in Crest Hill saved $1 million through electric aggregation.
Ward 3 Alderman Neal Sternisha had asked if the $1 million savings included the utility tax increase from 2 percent to 3.5 percent. At that time Soliman said the utility tax had been raised prior to the electric aggregation referendum passing.
The city used the money raised from the utility tax increase to hire a new police officer.
Soliman asked Dave Hoover of NIMEC how the company calculated that homeowners and small businesses saved $1 million.
Hoover explained the total was obtained based on the average homeowner, which uses 720-kilowatt hours per month. Based on this, the average homeowner saved $15.31 per month on the supply portion of their electric bill, and with approximately 5,961 homeowners plus several business the company brought the $1 million in savings.
Over the course of the year, an average homeowner saved $163.44, this includes the utility tax increase residents pay of $1.69 per month.
Sternisha wanted to exercise caution when stating how munch residents are saving.
