Barrington educating residents on electrical aggregation

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Updated: March 3, 2012 8:08AM

After the Barrington Village Board approved putting a referendum question regarding electrical aggregation on the March 20 ballot, village staff members have started getting the word out to residents.

At the Jan. 23 Village Board meeting, Director of Public Works Dennis Burmeister made a short presentation about electrical aggregation. The village also mailed information to residents with their water bills.

Recent changes in legislation relative to the deregulation of electricity has resulted in municipal aggregation as a way in which municipalities can pool or aggregate together the electrical supply load of its residents and small businesses.

If the referendum question is approved, the village will be in a position to seek competitive price bids on the electrical supply load for all of the residents and small businesses. The electric supply price for a larger, aggregated load typically results in favorable electric rates, Burmeister explained.

“The goal is to secure lower rates for residents and small businesses,” Burmeister said.

The referendum question approved by the Village Board on Dec. 12 will read: “Shall the Village of Barrington have the authority to arrange for the supply of electricity for its residential and small commercial retail customers who have not opted out of such program?”

Burmeister said Barrington is not the first community to do this. About 19 communities have already gone through the aggregation process and those communities have received an electric supply price that is lower than the current price offered through ComEd.

Barrington joins several surrounding communities in placing the question on the ballot.

Burmeister said if the referendum is approved and the village moves forward with the electrical aggregation process, residents will be able to choose whether or not to participate in the program.

He said since this is a new concept to most people, it is important to provide as much information is possible.

“This is a pretty involved issue,” Burmeister said. “There are a lot of questions that need to be answered.”

One of the most common questions people have is in regard to what role ComEd will play.

Burmeister said ComEd will still be the billing agency, deliver service and maintain power lines. The change will come in the supplier of electrical power.

Staff has put together a list of commonly asked questions and answers as well as a 30-minute video featuring Burmeister and David Hoover, executive director of Northern Illinois Municipal Electric Collaborative, discussing electrical aggregation.

Both are available on the village website at www.barrington-il.gov.