Trustees Recommend Libertyville Seek Cheaper Electricity

Village trustees are recommending the village board move forward with a referendum question asking residents to give the village authority to negotiate electricity prices for the community.

Libertyville could join a growing number of Illinois towns that are looking for cheaper electricity than Commonwealth Edison, however it would first need voters’ approval via a referendum in the February primary. If voters approve, the village would then have authority to solicit bids from other power companies.

The village’s Special Projects Committee has unanimously approved recommending using Northern Illinois Municipal Electric Collaborative (NIMEC) as the company to help Libertyville through the referendum process and select an electricity supplier, according to Libertyville Trustee Jim Moran, who chairs the board’s Special Projects Committee.

“Village staff had reviewed actually several different companies and NIMEC was the one we felt would be the best to go forward with in our first year,” Moran said during Tuesday’s village board meeting.

Other options for cheaper electricity

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“In the meantime there are also other options that the village residents can do to immediately save money including one of the options we had discussed from the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus.” Moran said. “With the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus that would save 20 percent off (residents’) electric bill.”

Mayor Terry Weppler also hopes the program would help residents save money.

“If residents were to participate in the program they would more than save the amount of the utility tax that was put on,” Weppler said.

Option to choose other power suppliers

In 2010, the Illinois General Assembly amended the law so municipalities could use other electricity power suppliers than Commonwealth Eddison.

Communities like Lincolnwood have already passed a referenda in the April election to allow them to seek other power suppliers.

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Village requires voters’ approval

The village can only solicit bids for the power generation portion of the electric bill; ComEd will still be dealing with power distribution and handling monthly bills for Libertyville residents. Residents would still call ComEd if services were interrupted.

If a referendum passes, the village could still choose to purchase power from ComEd. Residents or small businesses could also choose to keep their original power supplier even if the village is working with another power supplier.

If the referendum doesn’t pass, the village would not have the authority to solicit bids and find out who has the cheapest electricity price and will have to work with ComEd.

For more information on municipal aggregation of electricity, visit: www.ElectricAggregation.org