Kane eyeing electricity options for residents

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Updated: September 29, 2011 12:42AM

GENEVA — Kane County officials are looking for ways to save their constituents money on utilities.

Arnie Schramel, with the Aurora-based Progressive Energy Group, addressed the county board’s Energy and Environmental Committee this week about “municipal aggregation,” which gives customers the ability to find cheaper electricity rates through the help of their local government.

“Most residents on their own can’t or don’t know how to save money,” he said.

Recent legislation in Illinois allows municipalities and local governments to enter into contracts for lower energy costs on behalf of residents and small businesses. Local government agencies begin by placing a binding resolution on the election ballot.

The resolution asks that the municipality be allowed to enter into a contract on the residents’ behalf. If there are cheaper electric options than what ComEd is offering, they can go in that direction.

Residents of Sugar Grove, Elburn, North Aurora and Campton Hills all approved such referendums in April. They likely will enter into an agreement to “bundle” homes in order to find cheaper electricity. If ComEd ends up being the cheapest option on the market, they can stay with ComEd, Schramel said.

Residents and businesses also have the option to opt out of the program, Schramel said.

If the county placed this question on a ballot and voters approved, it would be able to negotiate for cheaper electricity for the residents who do not live within any city limits.

The program is still relatively new. Fulton, a town in northwestern Illinois, is scheduled in about a month to be the first to receive power this way, Schramel said.

Committee member Melisa Taylor, R-Sugar Grove, said she favored the program but had a reservation about the way consumers are involved.

“The only concern I have is that action has to be taken to opt out, versus action to opt in,” she said.

Schramel said ComEd still would maintain any infrastructure and be responsible for responding to outages. The only difference is that the electricity could be coming from another source.