Wilmette, Kenilworth Locks in Electricity Supply Rates

Wilmette and Kenilworth have locked in the lowest energy rate among North Shore communities for its residents and small businesses that participate in the electricity aggregation program. 

The Village of Wilmette, which is part of the Lake Shore Power Alliance with the Village of Kenilworth, finalized the electricity purchasing agreement with energy provider mc2 Thursday. 

The new rate for Wilmette residents will be 4.035 cents per kilowatt-hour, and 4.11 cents per kilowatt-hour for Kenilworth residents, both prices are locked in through May 31, 2013. The new rate is 46 percent lower than Commonwealth Edison’s summer rate and 54 percent lower than ComEd’s non-summer rate, according to a press release. 

Kenilworth trustees approved purchasing renewable energy credits equal to 100 percent of residents' electricity consumption for the roughly 855 households in the village, according to Wilmette Life. 

Wilmette residents also have the option to purchase 100 percent renewable energy through the Individual Choice Green Power Program. The cost is an additional 0.075 cents per kilowatt-hour, or about $10 more on average than Wilmette's primary program.

“Whether the residents opt to stay with the primary program or if they want the renewable energy program, either way they will get the lowest prices in the area,” said Wilmette Village Manager Tim Frenzer. 

The average Wilmette residential customer will save an estimated $450 between September 2012 and May 2013. With about 9,300 Wilmette residential and small business customers eligible to receive electricity under this agreement, the community as a whole could save more than $4 million in energy costs during the same period, according to the village. 

“We’d still expect the 100 percent green customers to see significant savings, probably over $400, as well,” Frenzer said, adding that the figures are estimates based on individual customers’ electricity usage. 

mc2 on June 12. The Village of Kenilworth approved selecting mc2 on June 18. The Chicago-based energy supplier will provide Wilmette residents the lowest price option, which includes the statuary minimum of 7 percent renewable energy, while also offering residents the option of purchasing 100 percent renewable energy credits.  

A Patch reader was not pleased with the village's decision to select the lowest price option and not set the Individual Choice Green Power Program as the default program village-wide.

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What’s Next?

The village is now working with mc2 to prepare and mail to residents “opt out” notices, which are required under state law to give residents who do not want to participate in the electricity aggregation program the chance to remain with ComEd for their energy supply.

The notices will also include information for residents interested in enrolling in the Individual Choice Green Power Program. 

The village expects to start mailing opt-out notices next week. Frenzer says the village is depending on ComEd to mail the second round of opt-out letters but the village hopes to make the lower energy costs available in late August or September at the latest. 

“We worked very hard to make the program a success, and we think rates we got from mc2 are a home run,” Frenzer said.

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