Downers Grove 7-25-12

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INSIDE

SPORTS Football schedules released Page 11

www.buglenewspapers.com

NEWS No consensus reached on train station coffee shop Page 3

Our Village, Our News

JULY 25, 2012

Vol. 4 No. 34

P wering Up Energy information forum energizes area residents on power choices

By Robin Ambrosia Staff Reporter

The issue of energy is complex enough for consumers without adding the individual choice of selecting a source, understanding the rate structure involved and knowing how it will impact electric use. Over 50 residents attended last week’s energy information forum led by Yami Newell, Citizens Utility Board community technology liaison. It was hosted by Sen. Ron Sandack (R-Downers Grove). Downers Grove resident Terry

Voss came to learn more about how the changes will actually save money. “The cost looks too good to be true,”Voss said. Up until December 2010, ComEd was Illinois consumers’ sole source for complete electric service, which is made up of supply, transmission and delivery. Supply is the actual electricity, transmission is the transportation of electricity from the generating facility to the local utility and delivery is the distribution of electricity to individual homes or businesses. In order to lower energy costs,

a December 2010 landmark decision allowed Illinois residents a choice of choosing their electric supply company known as Retail Electric Supplier, while ComEd would retain transmission and delivery services. Each of the three services makes up 30 percent of the electric bill with the delivery portion being most profitable for ComEd, according to Newell. However, consumers were not utilizing the RES choices available. Consequently, a referendum was placed on March’s primary ballot that allowed local communities

to negotiate lower electric supply rates through RES’s. The referendum passed in the villages of Downers Grove, Westmont and Woodridge. The consumer now has three choices for electric supply. According to Newell, the consumer can stay with ComEd, sign up with the RES negotiated through the village or go on your own to select an RES. “Prices negotiated individually are higher than prices negotiated through an electric aggregation,” Newell said. “Currently, ComEd’s price is 6.9 cents per kilowatt hour thus the amount saved

is the difference between the ComEd rate and the negotiated rate.” Other important details to be acquainted with are length of contract, opt out options and exit fees.

Downers Grove and Westmont work together The villages of Downers Grove and Westmont combined resources to form their own electric aggregation. See ELECTRIC, page 2


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