Mount Prospect could join ranks of towns seeking cheaper power

Mount Prospect could be the latest to join the bandwagon of communities asking voters whether they want to team up with neighboring towns to seek lower electricity rates for residents and small businesses.

The growing list of towns planning a spring referendum on the proposal includes Wheeling, Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Palatine, Lincolnshire and Long Grove.

Proponents say that towns joining to purchase power from a supplier other than ComEd should translate into cheaper electric bills.

Under the proposals, ComEd would continue to maintain infrastructure, restore power after outages and handle customer complaints. The referendum would appear on the March 20 ballot.

Assistant Village Manager David Strahl told Mount Prospect trustees this week that Grayslake, Lincolnwood and Oak Brook are examples of communities that already have chosen to aggregate. The 16,000 customers in those communities have seen an estimated savings of $285 annually for a residential customer and $950 for a commercial customer, he stated in a memo.

If voters approve the measure, residents would have the choice of opting out of the plan and going with another alternative supplier or ComEd. Residents also would have the chance to weigh in at one of two public meetings required before the adoption of any plan.

“The best part about this whole process is if the bid results do not come back lower than the ComEd rates at the time, there is no obligation to enter into a contract,” Strahl said.

Another question the board must decide is whether to hire a consultant to help guide them through the process of seeking bids for service and negotiating a contract with the supplier.

Most trustees supported the proposal.

“Essentially there is no reason not to do this,” said Trustee Paul Hoefert. “It is a potentially positive thing for our residents and they are not bound by it per se. I just don’t see a downside to this at all.”

Trustee Steven Polit voiced concerns the village would be put in the middle between the power company and the electrical customer.

But Hoefert pointed out that the village already is in the middle, noting one instance where the village has in the past helped residents who have lost power.