NorthSideSox72 Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 Voting is taking place in IL today. I went with Romney on the Prez Primary. Voted YES on a referendum here to aggregate electricity supply, a bunch of suburbs have similar ballots on. Who did you vote for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleHurt05 Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Mar 20, 2012 -> 12:57 PM) Voting is taking place in IL today. I went with Romney on the Prez Primary. Voted YES on a referendum here to aggregate electricity supply, a bunch of suburbs have similar ballots on. Who did you vote for? Voting after work, think I will have to go with Romney as well. The only other contended Republican office on my ballot is 28th State Sen., voting for Jim O'Donnell. What is the benefit of that electricity referendum? I noticed it will be on my ballot too. I was gonna vote no, but my knowledge on it is limited. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HuskyCaucasian Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Mar 20, 2012 -> 01:10 PM) What is the benefit of that electricity referendum? I noticed it will be on my ballot too. I was gonna vote no, but my knowledge on it is limited. From my town's website: A referendum on the March 20 ballot could bring savings of $3.3 million to residents of the Village of Hoffman Estates alone -- that's $189 in estimated average annual savings per household, according to the consulting firm Northern Illinois Municipal Electric Collaborative (NIMEC). NIMEC led many Illinois communities through a comparable program in 2011*. Nearly 300 Illinois municipalities have placed a similar referendum regarding community electricity aggregation on the March 20 ballot. The state of Illinois has enabled municipalities to negotiate lower electricity rates for their entire community (residents and small businesses). But first, a referendum must pass prior to engaging in negotiations for lower rates The majority of commercial electricity users already switched to lower cost suppliers in the years since the state deregulated the market. Because residents were not able to take advantage of lower prices, the state passed legislation in 2009 providing for municipalities to negotiate lower rates on behalf of their entire communities, but with the provision that any resident who did not want to switch to a new supplier could simply opt out. Deregulation of electricity in Illinois has incidentally dovetailed with downward pressures on electricity prices (led by a slowing economy and weakening natural gas prices). This has created a timely financial opportunity. It's all about savings: 19 Illinois municipalities passed such a referendum in 2011, and all are now paying rates below the current ComEd residential rate of 7.73 cents per kWh. When a community enters negotiations by pooling together its entire electricity load, suppliers may be willing to offer lower rates than individual offers. They pass along the economies of scale achieved by reduced customer acquisition costs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthSideSox72 Posted March 20, 2012 Author Share Posted March 20, 2012 QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Mar 20, 2012 -> 01:10 PM) What is the benefit of that electricity referendum? I noticed it will be on my ballot too. I was gonna vote no, but my knowledge on it is limited. Long story short... When you get your ComEd bill in the mail, you are paying for two things - delivery, and supply. For most people, ComEd supplies both. But as of a few years ago, you can now choose your own supplier for the electricity. And many of the new ones - Constellation, Spark, etc. - are much cheaper than ComEd. Many also provide options for specifically buying renewable power as well. For example, if ComEd's rate is 7.6 cents, Constellation may offer 6.4 cents for normal, or 7.1 cents for alternative. Cheaper either way. Many people have started switching - I did. Now, some villages want to essentially aggregate their customers (personal and business), and become one large customer. This allows them to take bids for lower rates for electricity supply. So, if your village votes yes, and they get some bids significantly cheaper than ComEd (which they would), they will switch all village residents from ComEd to this aggregated supplier. This would save people money. In the case of my suburb, if you have already chosen an alternate provider, they will not auto-switch you. But you can request the switch. Also, you can choose to opt out, though I am not sure why you would. Seems like a good idea to me. The village government isn't going to supply the electricity, so it is really the same as you switching it, except they do it for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamshack Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Mar 20, 2012 -> 01:22 PM) Long story short... When you get your ComEd bill in the mail, you are paying for two things - delivery, and supply. For most people, ComEd supplies both. But as of a few years ago, you can now choose your own supplier for the electricity. And many of the new ones - Constellation, Spark, etc. - are much cheaper than ComEd. Many also provide options for specifically buying renewable power as well. For example, if ComEd's rate is 7.6 cents, Constellation may offer 6.4 cents for normal, or 7.1 cents for alternative. Cheaper either way. Many people have started switching - I did. Now, some villages want to essentially aggregate their customers (personal and business), and become one large customer. This allows them to take bids for lower rates for electricity supply. So, if your village votes yes, and they get some bids significantly cheaper than ComEd (which they would), they will switch all village residents from ComEd to this aggregated supplier. This would save people money. In the case of my suburb, if you have already chosen an alternate provider, they will not auto-switch you. But you can request the switch. Also, you can choose to opt out, though I am not sure why you would. Seems like a good idea to me. The village government isn't going to supply the electricity, so it is really the same as you switching it, except they do it for you. Just FYI, Excelon, the parent company of ComEd, has just merged with Constellation. I'll be interested to see how that affects your options. Interesting note about the alternative energy pricing. Does the utility promise to use the difference in price to reinvest in alternative energy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleHurt05 Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 Thanks for the info. I know about those different electric companies, I have always refused to switch because they call/visit my shop at least once a week are usually complete assholes about getting me to switch to their service. I also am a bit wary of getting caught in some contract that costs more in the long run, which I have heard has happened to some. However, if my village is in charge of it, then I'm sure it's much less likely to get caught like that, so sounds like it could be a good idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Y2HH Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 (edited) QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Mar 20, 2012 -> 01:48 PM) Thanks for the info. I know about those different electric companies, I have always refused to switch because they call/visit my shop at least once a week are usually complete assholes about getting me to switch to their service. I also am a bit wary of getting caught in some contract that costs more in the long run, which I have heard has happened to some. However, if my village is in charge of it, then I'm sure it's much less likely to get caught like that, so sounds like it could be a good idea. Same. Edited March 20, 2012 by Y2HH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Mar 20, 2012 -> 01:48 PM) Thanks for the info. I know about those different electric companies, I have always refused to switch because they call/visit my shop at least once a week are usually complete assholes about getting me to switch to their service. I also am a bit wary of getting caught in some contract that costs more in the long run, which I have heard has happened to some. However, if my village is in charge of it, then I'm sure it's much less likely to get caught like that, so sounds like it could be a good idea. You are a lot more trusting of your elected officials than I am! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Y2HH Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Mar 20, 2012 -> 12:57 PM) Voting is taking place in IL today. I went with Romney on the Prez Primary. Voted YES on a referendum here to aggregate electricity supply, a bunch of suburbs have similar ballots on. Who did you vote for? Is this referendum for all of Chicago/suburbs, or some little community I don't care about...like Hoffman Estates, for example? Everyone in Hoffman Estates sucks...so if this is just for them, I'm voting no on this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HuskyCaucasian Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 (edited) QUOTE (Y2HH @ Mar 20, 2012 -> 01:52 PM) Is this referendum for all of Chicago/suburbs, or some little community I don't care about...like Hoffman Estates, for example? Everyone in Hoffman Estates sucks...so if this is just for them, I'm voting no on this. Hey now! Edited March 20, 2012 by Athomeboy_2000 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Y2HH Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Mar 20, 2012 -> 01:54 PM) Hey now! You're in Hoffman Estates? Now I'm voting no for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthSideSox72 Posted March 20, 2012 Author Share Posted March 20, 2012 QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Mar 20, 2012 -> 01:48 PM) Thanks for the info. I know about those different electric companies, I have always refused to switch because they call/visit my shop at least once a week are usually complete assholes about getting me to switch to their service. I also am a bit wary of getting caught in some contract that costs more in the long run, which I have heard has happened to some. However, if my village is in charge of it, then I'm sure it's much less likely to get caught like that, so sounds like it could be a good idea. You lock in a rate for a year. Thing is, rates fluctuate, but they aren't going to tank. Therefore, it will be less than otherwise, almost guaranteed. And you can still escape it for like $50, so if for some reason ComEd cuts their rates in half (LOL), you can still cut over. I doubt you are hearing anyone saying they switched to an alternate provider with a much lower rate, then got screwed by it, because the only way that happens is if rates crash pretty dramatically. Since energy is costing more and more, not less, that just isn't in the cards. QUOTE (Y2HH @ Mar 20, 2012 -> 01:52 PM) Is this referendum for all of Chicago/suburbs, or some little community I don't care about...like Hoffman Estates, for example? Everyone in Hoffman Estates sucks...so if this is just for them, I'm voting no on this. Its a whole collection of suburbs. Not sure which ones, over a dozen of them, and the next election will have another dozen or more, etc. It will likely effect everyone, eventually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthSideSox72 Posted March 20, 2012 Author Share Posted March 20, 2012 QUOTE (iamshack @ Mar 20, 2012 -> 01:32 PM) Just FYI, Excelon, the parent company of ComEd, has just merged with Constellation. I'll be interested to see how that affects your options. Interesting note about the alternative energy pricing. Does the utility promise to use the difference in price to reinvest in alternative energy? There are 3-4 big alternative companies out there - Constellation was one, also Spark, IGS, others. I suspect that ComEd's buying of Constellation will probably look like a portfolio buy. It allows them to get more into the supplier market and lower their own costs, as well as diminish some of the customer loss. At worst, you end up back with ComEd, where you started. The alternative is SOURCED that way. Indirectly, I am sure that means more investment in the alternatives, but directly, it means that is where your power is coming from. If demand goes up for the alternatives, they will capitalize more supply in that area. Free market stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texsox Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 Have any of the multi-level marketing electricity suppliers entered the Illinois market? Down here I use Green Mountain 100% renewable to power the Exxon Valdez of coffee makers, my Keurig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamshack Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Mar 20, 2012 -> 03:18 PM) There are 3-4 big alternative companies out there - Constellation was one, also Spark, IGS, others. I suspect that ComEd's buying of Constellation will probably look like a portfolio buy. It allows them to get more into the supplier market and lower their own costs, as well as diminish some of the customer loss. At worst, you end up back with ComEd, where you started. The alternative is SOURCED that way. Indirectly, I am sure that means more investment in the alternatives, but directly, it means that is where your power is coming from. If demand goes up for the alternatives, they will capitalize more supply in that area. Free market stuff. Constellation has one of the largest alternative portfolios as well as one of the largest retail customer bases in the country, from what I understand. As for the alternative energy being sourced that way, I have absolutely no idea how that could be possible. It sounds like nonsense to me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthSideSox72 Posted March 20, 2012 Author Share Posted March 20, 2012 QUOTE (iamshack @ Mar 20, 2012 -> 03:40 PM) Constellation has one of the largest alternative portfolios as well as one of the largest retail customer bases in the country, from what I understand. As for the alternative energy being sourced that way, I have absolutely no idea how that could be possible. It sounds like nonsense to me... I can see how it is possible. But I am sure there are tricks involved. For example... if say Spark Energy already buys 100 widgets worth of supply, and say 5 of those widgets are already from alternatives... the first 5 widgets delivered per period, can essentially be allocated to those alternative choice folks... even though in reality, the balance and cost are the same for Spark. Until... the number of people choosing that source goes above 5 widgets. At that point, audits would reveal the falsehood. So, they have to bump up their buys on alternative energy sources. So basically, I am under no illusions that I am somehow being piped electricity directly from some wind farm somewhere. But I do think that, as more people choose it, more supply will be built in that area. I am still a big believer in distributed alternative energy with net billing as an ideal model, especially for solar, but that is a ways off from being reality, especially in the Midwest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr_genius Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 Romney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeSox Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Mar 20, 2012 -> 03:18 PM) There are 3-4 big alternative companies out there - Constellation was one, also Spark, IGS, others. I suspect that ComEd's buying of Constellation will probably look like a portfolio buy. It allows them to get more into the supplier market and lower their own costs, as well as diminish some of the customer loss. At worst, you end up back with ComEd, where you started. The alternative is SOURCED that way. Indirectly, I am sure that means more investment in the alternatives, but directly, it means that is where your power is coming from. If demand goes up for the alternatives, they will capitalize more supply in that area. Free market stuff. Exelon bought Constellation in response to Duke buying Progress, our at least that is a common thought. Sent out of town st the last minute so I couldn't vote.i have no idea what referendums there were though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soxbadger Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Pat Brady, Illinois Republican Party Chairman, just said that Pac money is terrible and that the Supreme Court made a poor ruling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeSox Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Mar 20, 2012 -> 07:47 PM) Exelon bought Constellation in response to Duke buying Progress, our at least that is a common thought. Sent out of town st the last minute so I couldn't vote.i have no idea what referendums there were though. To add to this,exelon now controls something like 44% of the nuclear market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HuskyCaucasian Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Most of the municipalities passed the energy negotiation referendum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthSideSox72 Posted March 21, 2012 Author Share Posted March 21, 2012 QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Mar 21, 2012 -> 09:05 AM) Most of the municipalities passed the energy negotiation referendum. Article here - suburbs who already did it are reporting 15 to 30% savings. I am glad it went over well. 75% voted for it in my suburb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleHurt05 Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Mar 21, 2012 -> 09:48 AM) Article here - suburbs who already did it are reporting 15 to 30% savings. I am glad it went over well. 75% voted for it in my suburb. My town voted yes, about 55-45. I ended up voting no just because all of those companies have harassed me so much for the past 5 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthSideSox72 Posted March 21, 2012 Author Share Posted March 21, 2012 QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Mar 21, 2012 -> 09:59 AM) My town voted yes, about 55-45. I ended up voting no just because all of those companies have harassed me so much for the past 5 years. Well, if your village passed it, they would change you over, and I think they'd stop harassing you. So why vote no? Also... I've never gotten a call from any of them. Just some occasional junk in the mail. Are you not on the do-not-call list? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Y2HH Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Mar 21, 2012 -> 10:20 AM) Well, if your village passed it, they would change you over, and I think they'd stop harassing you. So why vote no? Also... I've never gotten a call from any of them. Just some occasional junk in the mail. Are you not on the do-not-call list? They go door to door in some places. They've annoyed me like this, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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