Electric Aggregation Program Will Resume in April in Unincorporated Areas of County

Effingham County’s municipal electric aggregation program (MEA), paused since March 2022, will resume in April under a new contract with Constellation NewEnergy for electric supply to participating homeowners and small businesses in unincorporated areas of the county served by Ameren.

A small business is defined as one that uses fewer than 15,000 kilowatthours a year.

Constellation submitted the low bid to serve the County’s program with a proposal to supply electricity at 11.924 cents per kilowatthour. That rate will be fixed for 18 months, beginning with meter readings in April. Ameren’s current rate is 11.833 cents. Ameren customers also pay for electricity Ameren buys not included in the Ameren rate. MEA participants are not subject to the additional charge, which has averaged .34 cents per kilowatthour over the last seven months.

Constellation last week began sending letters to each eligible resident of the County’s unincorporated area served by Ameren. It includes information about the new supply rate, terms, and the right of eligible residents to opt out at no cost. Those who wish to participate will be enrolled automatically and need to do nothing. Those who prefer not to participate can opt out by calling Constellation’s customer care center tollfree at 833-999-4862. Any resident can call the number for additional information.

Ameren in March will also send a letter to each eligible participant to remind them of their right to opt out and that Constellation NewEnergy will be Effingham County’s MEA supplier in April.

Effingham County, whose eligible voters at referendum in 2012 authorized electric aggregation, in March 2022 suspended the program for one year when it found open-market prices for electricity were significantly higher than Ameren’s electric rate. Consumers who participate in the County electric aggregation program will still write only one check for electricity. Ameren bills will include Constellation’s electric supply cost. Service calls will continue to be handled by Ameren for residents in the county’s unincorporated areas it serves.

SIMEC, LLC, of Quincy is the consultant for Effingham County’s MEA program.