Riverside to consider electric-aggregation options June 5 after preview of rates and green-energy tradeoffs

RIVERSIDE, Ill. — The Village of Riverside Board of Trustees received an initial briefing May 15 on options to renew the village’s municipal electric-aggregation program and asked staff to return with final supplier bids at the June 5 meeting before making a decision.

Clerk Emily Stenzel and consultant Sharon Dirling of Illinois Activation Consultants summarized the program’s history: Riverside voters authorized an opt‑out municipal aggregation in 2012 that allows the village to negotiate fixed supply rates for residents and small businesses. The village has favored 100% renewable supply in recent contracts. The current supplier contract (with MC2 Energy Services) runs through October 2025; the prior 12‑month 100% green contract was 8.09¢ per kilowatt-hour.

Staff presented two broad options: (1) issue a request for fixed-rate supplier bids and continue a multi-tier green option (12‑month bids for 50% or 100% green supply were cited as sample estimates), or (2) adopt a ComEd price‑match model guaranteeing participating customers will not pay more than ComEd’s supply rate. Under the price-match option, staff said the best offers returned in initial modeling would likely provide roughly 20% Midwest‑sourced green energy while matching ComEd on price, and a supplier could also provide an annual civic grant (estimated at $15,000) for local green initiatives instead of a higher percentage of renewable supply.

Clerk Stenzel and the consultant summarized the cost tradeoffs raised by staff and the consultant: sample planning estimates included a 12‑month 100% green option around 10.8¢/kWh (about 1.3¢ above a sample ComEd benchmark), a 50% green option at about 10.65¢/kWh, and a 0% green option at about 10.50¢/kWh. The current ComEd rate at the time of the briefing was reported around 6.5¢/kWh but projected by staff to move to about 9.5¢/kWh for the upcoming energy year; consultants noted rates vary and final supplier pricing will be available in early June.

Clerk Stenzel said the village’s recent 12‑month 100% green contract had about 88% participation among eligible accounts (12% opted out), and the consultant noted when adjusting for accounts on other suppliers the net participation figure is roughly 72%. The board discussed tradeoffs between maximizing renewable content and minimizing resident cost; staff emphasized transparency and public communication around opt‑out notices, which under current rules have limitations on how the village can present comparative ComEd pricing in the formal opt‑out mailing.

Trustees did not take action and will consider final bids and a recommendation when supplier pricing is available at the June 5 meeting. Staff said it will prepare comparative price and renewable‑content information and communications to help residents decide whether to remain in or opt out of aggregation.