O’Fallon says electric rates will decrease under new energy contract

The city of O’Fallon says rates will decrease under the recently signed, 18-month extension of the municipal electrical aggregation contract with Homefield Energy.

The rates will be lowered from 0.0595 to 0.0570, beginning in January 2018. The rate will decrease an additional 2 percent to 0.05596, beginning June 2019 and lasting through December 2020.

“As we work to be good custodians of your tax dollars, we are always looking for how we can save you dollars. Because of the due diligence of our Finance Director, Sandy Evans, our electric rates under Homefield Energy will be decreased by 4 percent in January 2018. This will take our electric rate to 7 percent below Ameren’s current rates,” Mayor Herb Roach said.

Homefield Energy is mailing letters to all eligible residents and small businesses in O’Fallon describing the electrical aggregation program and instructions on how to “opt out” for those residents that do not wish to participate. The opt-out period will officially close on Dec. 1, 2017.

“Since this program’s inception in 2013, it has saved our residents a considerable amount of money at a time when many are struggling financially,” said Roach. “Ever since I sponsored this concept in 2012, I also believed that residents should have a choice if they want to participate in the program.”

Service will be uninterrupted and Ameren will continue to deliver the power to resident’s homes, restore power outages and issue bills. Participants will see the new rate reflected on their February bill for January service.

If residents wish to participate in this group rate, no action is necessary, participants are automatically enrolled. There is no contract to sign and no enrollment fee. In our community’s aggregation program, residents are not required to sign a contract and will not be contacted by a salesperson. If you are approached by an electric marketer, please be aware that it is not part of O’Fallon’s electrical aggregation program.

The city’s program rates do not have variable, hidden or “pass through” charges. If you are solicited by an electrical marketer, please be certain to review all contact terms, ask about additional charges and do not feel pressured to take action right away.

Customers that choose to opt out of the aggregation program are subject to a contract lock period and the utility will not allow you to re-join the O’Fallon Municipal Aggregation Program for 12 months.

O’Fallon’s contract includes over 110 municipalities with a possibility of over 850,000 residents throughout the state of Illinois. Illinois law allows municipalities and counties to negotiate the purchase price of electricity on behalf of residential and small business utility customers living within their borders.

If you are a new residential electric customer, or uncertain if you are enrolled in O’Fallon’s aggregation program, please contact Homefield Energy at (866) 694-1262.

For more information about the electrical aggregation program, visit http://www.homefieldenergy.com/residential/municipal-aggregation/faq-res… or contact Sandy Evans, O’Fallon Director of Finance, at (618) 624-4500 Ext. 8723 or at sevans@ofallon.org