1.0Citizens Utility Boardhttps://www.citizensutilityboard.orgrich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="xVdEVm0ETt"><a href="https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/electric_municipalaggregation/">CUB’s Guide to Municipal Electricity Aggregation</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/electric_municipalaggregation/embed/#?secret=xVdEVm0ETt" width="600" height="338" title="“CUB’s Guide to Municipal Electricity Aggregation” — Citizens Utility Board" data-secret="xVdEVm0ETt" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(d,l){"use strict";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=new RegExp("^https?:$","i"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display="none";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):"link"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute("src")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener("message",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute("data-secret"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+="#?secret="+t,e.setAttribute("data-secret",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:"ready",secret:t},"*")},!1)))}(window,document); /* ]]> */ </script> [vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”CUB’s Guide to Municipal Electricity Aggregation” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:24|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”What Is Municipal (or Community) Aggregation?” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:24|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”5/6″][vc_column_text]Illinois law allows municipalities and counties to purchase electricity on behalf of residential and small-business utility customers (businesses using no more than 15,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity a year) living within their borders. Normally, customers get their electricity supplied by a utility — ComEd or Ameren. But with aggregation, communities are responsible for negotiating the price of power from a supplier other than the traditional utility. Remember, if you are part of a community power deal, ComEd or Ameren would still be responsible for delivering that electricity to your home and billing you for it. In theory, municipal aggregation allows communities to use the collective bargaining power of their residents to negotiate for lower power prices from suppliers. However, savings aren’t guaranteed. See the list of communities that have moved forward with municipal aggregation at PlugInIllinois.org. (Note: Individual ComEd and Ameren customers can also choose an alternative electricity supplier on their own. However, CUB has heard many complaints from people who have signed up for offers that turned out to be bad deals. Beware of bad deals peddled door-to-door, over the phone or via mail. See CUB’s fact sheets on our Electric page, at CitizensUtilityBoard.org.)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator color=”custom” css=”.vc_custom_1475699797969{background-color: #0f4b91 !important;}”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Will I be Automatically Billed at My Community’s Rates?” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:24|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Yes, unless you opt out of the program. If a community passes a referendum approving electricity aggregation, local officials will then put out a request for proposals (RFP) and select a winning bid. Then, officials may hold a community hearing to get feedback and input from residents. If a community fails to pass a referendum but still chooses to move forward, the program would be “opt in,” where residents are not enrolled until they sign up. In any case, consumers always have the option of paying their utility’s default supply price.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator color=”custom” align=”align_left” css=”.vc_custom_1475699807900{background-color: #0f4b91 !important;}”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Do I have to participate in community aggregation?” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:24|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]No. Residents who don’t wish to participate have multiple opportunities to “opt out” of the program: 1. When the community sends out an initial letter notifying residents that their electricity supplier will change, and; 2. When the utility sends customers a letter notifying them that their electricity supplier has changed. After receiving the utility notification, residents generally have 10 days to opt out. So, even if your community passes a referendum, you don’t have to participate in municipal aggregation if you don’t want to. Even if you miss these two opportunities, you can get out of a community power deal at any time, and thanks to new consumer protections passed in Illinois, you shouldn’t have to pay an exit fee. If you want to exit a community power deal, call the company listed on the supply section of your ComEd or Ameren bill. Note: Because residents are automatically switched (unless they opt out), beware if a sales rep for an alternative supplier comes to your door and claims to want to sign you up for your community’s power deal. Don’t sign anything or give out your power bill or […]https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Municipal-Aggregation-Graphic.jpg