Elmwood Park Village Board approves Electric Aggregation Contract

| May 5, 2013
Flood mitigation plan moves forward
ELMWOOD PARK –  The Village Board has approved a one year contract with First Energy Corp. to provide electricity to homeowners and small businesses under a voluntary opt-in electric aggregation program.
Under terms of the agreement, First Energy agrees to provide electricity to residents and small business owners at 5.2 cents per kilowatt hour. Commonwealth Edison’s current rate is 8.8 cents per kilowatt hour, although ComEd is expected to lower its rate later this year. Customers will still receive their bills from Commonwealth Edison, which will continue to charge a separate distribution fee.
“This is a completely voluntary program,” Village President Pete Silvestri said. “We certainly encourage as many homeowners and businesses to sign up, but no one has to join.”
The next steps involve First Energy sending letters to homeowners and merchants, informing them of the opportunity and explaining how the program works. Opting-in can be done by phone, through the mail or over the Internet.
“The important part of this agreement is that First Energy agrees that its rate will never be higher than Commonwealth Edison’s,” Silvestri explained. “With skyrocketing gas prices and just about everything else going up, it’s nice to give residents the chance to save some of their hard-earned money.”
Village Manager Paul Volpe said First Energy could begin providing electricity under the new plan as early as this summer, in time to help lower the cost of air conditioning.
The Village Board also approved the third and final contract for the 2013 phase of the flood mitigation project. The winning bid was 16.5% below estimates, resulting in a savings of $1.29 million.
The work involves laying new sewer pipe through the south end of the village. President Silvestri added this portion of the project to the overall plan after getting input from residents at public hearings. Construction on another portion of the project along 80th Avenue had work beginning on April 15.

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