Ameren Illinois’ adjusted electric supply rate for residential customers, posted Tuesday, was set at 8.04 cents per kilowatt-hour, or 3.88 cents less than Effingham County’s electric aggregation rate of 11.924 cents per kilowatt-hour.
Ameren’s new rate, which is the price consumers can use to compare to the County’s electric aggregation rate, was effective Friday, June 2. The County’s rate became effective with electric meter readings in April. Although the municipality’s rate was lower than Ameren’s supply cost at the time the County got competitive bids for its program, recent auctions for energy supply produced significantly lower charges for electric generating capacity and fuel, the major components of electric aggregation rates in Illinois.
The County designed its electric aggregation program to assure that participants have access to the lowest price available on the market by permitting them to opt out at any time and at no cost. Effingham County participants can opt out by calling Constellation toll-free or by going online. Residents should have their ten-digit Ameren account number available to opt out.
To opt out by phone, residents can call Constellation’s toll-free number, 833-999-4862. Calls are taken in the order received, and callers can avoid lengthy wait times by leaving a request for a return call. There is no waiting for those who use Constellation’s online opt-out service at www.Constellation.com/il-effingham and following these steps:
> Click Opt-Out Online in gray area at bottom of page.
> Click blue Find My Code button.
> Enter your ten-digit Ameren account number
1. Review account information.
2. Enter email if you’d like opt out confirmation.
3. Check the box.
4. Click the blue button, Do Not Participate.
Effingham County voters at a referendum authorized the County’s electric aggregation initiative. The County paused its program in early 2022 when competitive prices exceeded Ameren’s.
Electricity prices have been volatile in the regulated as well as the competitive electricity market over the past year. Ameren’s regulated supply rate more than doubled—from 5.478 cents per kilowatt-hour in May 2022 to 11.833 cents currently. The utility is also permitted to recover and refund differences in its costs of electricity when those costs vary by 5 percent from the approved rate. Such cost differences, known as purchased energy adjustments, are passed along on consumers’ monthly bills. Electric aggregation customers are not charged purchased energy adjustments.
Ameren will continue to deliver electricity to residents and small businesses, answer calls about power quality and outages, and bill for all electric supply and distribution services. Answers to questions about delivery service and bills are available by calling Ameren’s toll-free number at 800-755-5000.