Aurora mulls hiring consultant for electricity referendum, bidding process

Voters won't weigh in on electricity aggregation in Aurora until March 20, but leaders already are preparing the next steps in case residents vote to allow city government to buy electricity for the community as a whole.

Aldermen are expected to vote Tuesday, Feb. 14 on whether to hire Good Energy, a New York-based consulting firm, to conduct a voter education campaign and, if the referendum question is approved, run a bidding process for new suppliers.

“We really could use some outside help to get this done,” Finance Director Brian Caputo said Tuesday during a city council committee meeting.

A preliminary contract with Good Energy spells out what services the company would provide and how much it would get paid depending on how voters answer the electricity aggregation question.

The question asks “whether the city should have authority ... to arrange for the supply of electricity for residential and small commercial retail customers who have not opted out of such program.”

Under electricity aggregation programs, communities seek bids from power suppliers who would provide electricity to residential and small business accounts. The electricity still would be distributed on ComEd power lines even if the municipality selects a new supplier. Customers would have two chances to opt out of the aggregated program and buy electricity from a supplier of their choosing.

If the city council approves the contract with Good Energy, but the referendum question fails, Aurora will owe the firm $57,995 for the voter education campaign.

But if voters approve an electricity aggregation program, Good Energy will be under contract to run another education campaign — this time about how to opt out of the program — and to manage the process of choosing a new electricity supplier. Post-referendum services would cost Aurora $48,995.

At the urging of a couple of aldermen, the contract also will include a clause guaranteeing Good Energy will not receive any kickbacks from power companies and will not contribute in any way to campaigns of city of Aurora elected officials.

Caputo said Good Energy representatives assured him the firm will not contribute to political campaigns and is independent from the influence of power companies.

“We want someone who can make an independent judgment for the city's residents and small-business customers,” Caputo said.