Members of Jacksonville’s municipal energy aggregate program will see a 1-cent increase in their electric rates starting in June.
Homefield Energy announced April 6 that it would raise its fixed electricity rate to 13.19 cents per kilowatt hour. The new rate will go into effect June 1 and run through May 31, 2027.
According to U.S. Energy Information Administration, the average U.S. residential electric customer uses an average of about 899 kilowatt hours. Under the new rate, Jacksonville customers using that much power could see a monthly bill of around $118.57.
The city previously signed a one-year contract at a rate of 12.04 cents per kilowatt hour after working with consultant Good Energy.
Jacksonville residents approved the creation of the program in March 2012. City Clerk Angela Salyer said the idea behind the program was for customers to have a single rate for an entire year. When purchasing power directly from suppliers, the suppliers can raise or lower the rates “pretty much any time they want to,” she said.
“Locking in your rate, really, is the benefit of this program,” she said.
Ameren Illinois’ non-summer rate, which applies until May 31, is 8.769 cents for up to to 800 kilowatt hours and 7.85 for every kilowatt hour over 800, according to Plug In Illinois.
Those who want to opt out of the aggregation program have until Monday to submit a request at homefieldenergy.com/optout or by calling 833-200-9834.
Residents in the program already should have received a letter from Homefield informing them of the new rate, Salyer said. Those who want to remain part of the program do not need to do anything, she said.