BLOOMINGTON-NORMAL, IL — It’s easy to be confused about the right thing to do with energy prices going up this
summer regardless of where you look. In early May, municipal electricity aggregation rates were increased by 40%
in a new contract between Constellation and the Town of Normal and City of Bloomington. Last week, Ameren
announced it would be increasing its rates for the summer season by 50%.
There are many reasons why electricity costs are rising this summer, but the main one is due to complex market
conditions with central Illinois’s grid system operator, MISO (Mid-Continental Independent System Operator). In
short, issues with supply combined with an increasing demand for the summer season has led to much higher prices
for utilities to purchase electricity supply, which is being passed on to utility customers. The EAC recommends
sticking with municipal electricity aggregation. Despite the increases, the aggregation rate will still be cheaper than
the default Ameren rate for the summer season. Residents may want to consider opting out of aggregation when
summer rates end this fall; at that time the aggregation pricing may be higher than the default Ameren rate.
More importantly, this summer will be great time to adopt energy efficient practices. The cheapest energy is that
which doesn’t get used in the first place. The EAC offers energy efficiency recommendations on its energy website,
BNenergyBright.org including low cost energy audits provide by the EAC for residents of Bloomington and Normal.
These audits will check insulation and inspect homes for air leaks, which can let hot air inside while letting cool air
escape.
Solar can also greatly help offset energy costs. In the next month, the EAC will begin promoting a new group solar
purchase program – Grow Solar Bloomington-Normal, which will help bring down the price for residential solar
installation through the power of a volume purchase. For those for whom a solar installation is not possible, the
EAC will also introduce a new community solar program—subscription-based access to solar without the cost of
installation. This community solar program will provide a lower cost of electricity for subscribers than the default
Ameren rate.
The EAC strongly cautions against any door-to-door energy or solar program sales. According to the Citizen’s Utility
Board, ComEd and Ameren customers have lost $1.8 billlion to alternative power suppliers since 2015. “Fine print”
hidden fees and other predatory practices from third party energy suppliers have been used to take advantage of
customers looking for a better price.
Rising energy costs can be problematic for many households, but there are still plenty of actions residents can take
to offset these costs as much as possible while remaining cool and comfortable this summer. For more information
about staying in the aggregation program, signing up for community solar, or scheduling a home energy audit, visit
BNenergyBright.org or call the EAC Energy Program Coordinator at 309-454-3169 x15.
The Ecology Action Center is a not-for-profit environmental agency with a mission to inspire and assist residents of
McLean County in creating, strengthening and preserving a healthy environment. The EAC acts as a central resource
for environmental education, information, outreach, and technical assistance in McLean County.
