Endorsement: Yes on electrical aggregation

After floating successful referendums in the spring, many suburbs have already begun saving their residents money on their utility rates through electrical aggregation. Now, more than a dozen more suburbs have set a ballot resolution asking their residents for permission to negotiate with companies other than ComEd to supply electricity. Our recommendation is the same as it was in March. Do it. Through aggregation, communities combine consumers into a groups, enabling them to leverage greater buying power and presumably — though not guaranteed — achieve lower rates for electricity. The most controversial feature in some cases is that residents who don’t want to participate would have to “opt out.” But public hearings are required, and residents who think they can get better rates on their own will have two prominent chances to turn the program down. No matter who supplies electricity to a community, ComEd will still provide service, delivery and billing, so any change essentially will be seamless for consumers. We recommend a yes vote.