PEORIA -- With recent voter approval of the electric aggregation referendums in the city of Peoria, Peoria County and other municipalities in the region, the area is poised to make the largest green energy purchase in the US history.
That's from Chris Setti, special projects manager for the city of Peoria, who spoke on April 7 to the Peoria County Democratic Women's meeting.
There will be around 215,000 households in the group buying 100 percent green energy, he said.
The city of Peoria has scheduled public hearings on Tuesday, April 10 and Tuesday, April 17, both before the regular meeting of the City Council. Then the bids will immediately go out for a supplier.
Peoria and the others are part of a larger group of municipalities in downstate Illinois bidding together. They will be buying renewable energy credits, which will put money into green energy production in the US.
He expects the typical household to save $150 or $200 a year on electricity bills.
Any household will be able to opt out without charge for a while, then the opt out cost will be less than $25, he said. It's free for people who move.
People left out also will be able to opt in, which includes those who move into the city and become ratepayers.
Some details remain to be worked out, including whether households which get discounts from higher than usual power use will save money, he said. The city expects to put a calculator on its website so people can determine whether they will save money based on the rates they are paying Ameren/Cilco or other suppliers.
The issue of other suppliers was raised, with some saying there are high opt out charges for them. They should contact the Citizens Utility Board or the Illinois Commerce Commission for help.
All qualifying households without special circumstances or other suppliers will be switched over sometime during the summer, he said. But they will be notified by the city that they can opt out free if not satisfied.
-- Elaine Hopkins
I don't understand the references to "green energy". No utility is supplying 100% "green"energy. I also love how everyone jumps on the bandwagon of how this deregulation is going to "save money". Part of the cost that Ameren Cilco passes on, is the cost of non-payment of utility bills. By law they can't shut someone's power off during the winter or during a heat wave so they have to eat the bad dept when a resident doesn't pay. These "new" companies don't have the deadbeat customers and they aren't going to pick up them either as they will decline to take on someone with bad credit. Someone is going to have to service the people that won't pay so eventually this bad dept will have to be picked up by someone or Ameren Cilco, if left with only non-payers will pull out of this market.
Posted by: B Tudor | April 09, 2012 at 03:22 PM