Frequently Asked Questions

• How can a community enroll residents without their approval?

The aggregation program was voted on and passed by the residents of Alton in March 2012 by referendum of the electors. The referendum stated:

“Shall the City of Alton, Illinois, 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?

YES I NO.

• Who is eligible for the municipal aggregation?

Residential and small commercial customers (under 15000 kWh per year usage) located in the participating governmental entity boundaries may participate. Customers enrolled in real time pricing, Power Smart Pricing, electric space heat rate, or already being served by an alternative retail electric supplier are eligible under the law but are not automatically enrolled. If you are in one of these programs or with a different supplier, you will need to review your pricing and contractual obligations in order to determine which options are available to you at this time.

• What action must I take to participate in the aggregation program and I want to have my electric supply included in the program?

Each eligible account holder will receive an opt out letter. The account holders do not need to take any action to participate in the aggregation program and to get the negotiated electric supply rate.

• How do I opt out of an aggregation program?

The chosen supplier will send opt out notices to all eligible residents and eligible small businesses within the municipality or county. You will need to fill out and return the opt out notice to be excluded from the aggregation program. You may also do so by phone or on the supplier website.

• Who do I call if my power goes out?

You continue to call your local Utility company which is Ameren Illinois. Ameren Illinois provides the delivery services for your electricity, delivering the electricity to your home, and is responsible for service and reliability issues, regardless of whom you choose for your electric supplier.

• What does opt out aggregation mean for customers that already have a contract with a supplier or are on the Utility’s real time pricing programs?

If you are enrolled with a different alternative supplier or participate in one of the Utility’s residential real-time pricing programs at the time the opt out notices are being sent out, you will not be included in your municipality’s or county’s aggregation program. You may receive a different notification letter (opt in) about the program than your neighbors, explaining that your electric supply will not be included in the program unless you request it to be. We suggest you check your rates and look to see if there are any penalties involved by canceling your current program.

• Who will send out my monthly bill and who do I pay? Do I still only get one bill?

Yes, you will continue to receive one monthly bill from your Utility. The bill will include the charges for electricity supplied by us, as well as the delivery service charges from your Utility.

• Can I stay on budget billing?

Yes, your budget billing will not be affected by your participation in this program.

• What if I decide to opt out after the opt out period?

You may opt out anytime during the term of the agreement with NO fee. However, if you opt out and remain out of the program for a period of 60 days or more without choosing a new alternative supplier, you will be required by the Utility to stay with the Utility for one year regardless of the rate.

• Do Municipal Electric Aggregations really work?

Yes, the programs Good Energy LP oversee in Illinois have been very successful in several ways.

1. Nearly 80% of all eligible residential and small businesses participate in the programs.
2. Good Energy LP has secured the lowest group rate of any program in Ameren Utility history.
3. With our longer-term fixed supply rate pricing program, we have avoided the volatility in the energy market.
4. With our fixed pricing programs, residents know what their supply rate will be. This makes forecasting and budgeting households much easier.
5. Throughout the length of the program, participating customers have saved millions of dollars on energy costs. This benefits the residents and the area. It allows residents to purchase items they would much rather purchase, other than electricity. Allowing them to spend the savings in their local community therefore benefiting the overall economic impact for the area

• How does municipal aggregations affect solar programs such as community solar and net solar participants?

Net solar customers are those who have their own installed solar systems. Those customers as well as community solar participants will be receiving opt out notices. Homefield has verified Ameren will continue to bank any previous and future solar credits as it is a requirement of the Illinois Commerce Commission.

Community solar customers can participate in the aggregation program and earn any discounts allocated to them. Those discounts will be applied to the aggregation program rate instead of the Utility rate.

• How do new residents enroll in the aggregation program?

New residents or residents moving to new addresses within their community have two options to re-enroll. First, they may contact the aggregation Supplier by phone, email, or on their website and opt into the program. Two, periodically during the program the supplier will request a list of newly eligible accounts. Those customers will receive new opt out notices and will automatically be enrolled if they do not opt out of the program. We urge customers to enroll on their own and not wait for the supplier opt out, which may take several months.

• If I have previously opted out of the aggregation, do I have to opt out again?

Yes, new opt outs are sent out to customers each time there is a rate change, or a new supplier is chosen. State regulations require every customer who is eligible to participate in the program must receive new opt out notices even if they previously opted out of the program.

• Does the aggregation prevent all portions of my bill from going up during the program period?

There are two portions of customer power bills, supply and delivery. Aggregation programs can only negotiate and bid the supply rate. The Utility company sets all delivery rates which are the same for both participating aggregation customers and non-participating customers.