(A) The corporate authorities of the city find and determine that it is in the best interest of the city to operate the electric aggregation program under the Aggregation of Electrical Load by Municipalities and Counties (hereinafter referred to as the “Act”).
(B) The corporate authorities of the city hereby are authorized to aggregate in accordance with the terms of the Act residential and small commercial retail electrical loads located within the corporate limits of the city, and for that purpose may solicit bids and enter into service agreements to facilitate for those loads the sale and purchase of electricity and related services and equipment.
(C) The corporate authorities of the city are granted the authority to exercise such authority jointly with any other municipality or county, and in combination with two or more municipalities or counties, may initiate a process jointly to authorize aggregation by a majority vote of each particular municipality or county as required by the Act.
(D) The aggregation program for the city shall operate as an opt-out program for residential and small commercial retail customers with a single rate for all customer classes.
(E) The aggregation program shall be approved by a majority of the members of the corporate authority of the city.
(F) The corporate authorities of the city with the assistance from the Illinois Power Agency and Progressive Energy Group shall develop a plan of operation and governance for the aggregation program and shall conduct such public hearings and provide such public notice as required under the Act. The Load Aggregation Plan shall provide for universal access to all applicable residential customers and equitable treatment of applicable residential customers, shall describe demand management and energy efficiency services to be provided to each class of customers and shall meet any requirements established by law concerning aggregated service offered pursuant to the Act.
(G) As an opt-out program, the corporate authorities of the city shall fully inform residential and small commercial retail customers in advance that they have the right to opt-out of the aggregation program. The disclosure and information provided to the customers shall comply with the requirements of the Act.
(H) The electric aggregation shall occur automatically for each person owning, occupying, controlling, or using an electrical load center proposed to be aggregated in the corporate limits of the city, subject to a right to opt-out of the program as described under this chapter and the Act.
(I) The corporate authorities hereby grant the City Mayor or his or her designee in writing the specific authority to execute a contract without further action by the corporate authorities and with the authority to bind the city with the following limitations:
(1) A term no longer than 36 months.
(2) Winning electric supplier must utilize Ameren as the billing/invoicing agent.
(3) The contract contains no early termination fees.
(4) Village is to be reimbursed for Ameren program fees and legal fees.
(Ord. 1473, passed 5-16-12; Am. Ord. 1537, passed 4-2-14)