04/09/2026
Wood River
The City’s municipal aggregation program electric rate will reset starting in June 2026 with a rate of $0.1319 and be effective through May 2027. Eligible residents and small businesses will begin receiving opt out letters pertaining to the upcoming renewal of their community’s municipal aggregation program. This voter approved program was designed to bring stability and protection to our residents and small businesses during volatile times in the energy market. The program has successfully provided participants an alternative choice in suppliers. The current aggregation rate is $0.12048, and the new rate is $0.1319, the upcoming renewal rates will not change over the next 12 months. Although the current Ameren utility rate is considerably lower for residential accounts and small business accounts, Ameren is also scheduled for a rate reset in June and is expected to have a similar increase in rates. Although we currently do not know what the new Ameren rate will be, we do expect it to be considerably higher than their current rate.
Regulatory requirements require all eligible accounts, including those who have opted out of previous aggregation programs, must opt out again each time there is a rate, supplier, or term change. Although we understand this may be frustrating to some, we are simply following the requirements put in place for the program. When receiving these opt outs there are several key factors to consider, those factors are listed below:
If an account holder opts out of the program and do not choose another alternative supplier within 60 days, they are required to stay with Ameren’s supply for an additional 10 months (one year total) regardless of Ameren’s rate.
Although the opt out letter states you must opt out by a certain date, you may opt out of the program at any time, not just during the opt out period. Therefore, many account holders wait until Ameren’s new rate has been posted in June before opting out.
Since the inception of the program, it has provided participants with significant savings during specific times of volatility in the energy market. However, there is no guarantee, the aggregation rate will always be a lower rate than the Ameren rate. The program is designed to fix the rate without change, for a specific term, therefore limiting unexpected increases in the energy market rates.
Based on the region’s inability to offset the State’s required closing of coal plant generation sites with newer cleaner wind and solar generation, heavy usage from the AI data centers, and the current global unrest, energy experts have already warned that next summer’s rates will likely increase considerably. Illinois
The opt-out program structure was approved by state legislators in 2010. Opt-out letters that detail the Program are required to be sent to all eligible account holders any time there is a change in rate, term, or supplier. Ameren, conversely, is not required to provide any notice prior to rate changes and can adjust their rates at any time. The aggregation program fully fixed rate will remain unchanged during the term of the current agreement June 2026 through May 2027.
Residents may opt out of the Program by mailing back the pre-paid postage opt-out card sent by the supplier, Homefield Energy, or by calling Homefield Energy at (833) 200-9834. Eligible account holders may also opt out via Homefield Energy’s online site: Homefieldenergy.com/optout.
For additional information, please contact the City’s consultant, Good Energy, at (844) 686-4244.
Additional Points to share with staff
• Although the opt out letter received by eligible account holders, which again is a regulatory requirement, requires the letter to contain an opt out by due date, however, Account holders can opt out at any time without fees or penalties. THEY DO NOT HAVE TO OPT OUT WITHIN 21 DAYS. The 21-day rule was put in place to allow the alternative supplier time to adjust their electric supply purchases as needed.
• Account holders should keep in mind, if a participating account holder opts out of the Aggregation Program and returns to Ameren Basic Generation Service (BGS), they must select a new supplier within 60 days, or they will revert to Ameren default service for an additional 10 months or a total of one year. This is known as BGS Hold and is a Utility requirement not a Program requirement. Again, you may leave the aggregation program anytime you like.
• The Ameren supply rate can change throughout the year and has done so nearly 30 times over the past 12 years, while the aggregation rate has changed less than 10 times during the same period.
• It is also important to know that there are two portions of your bill, supply (which is the only portion able to be negotiated) and the delivery portion, which is solely Ameren’s delivery rate and cannot be negotiated and rightfully so, since they own the entire infrastructure system and maintain it. All Ameren customers pay the same delivery rates whether their supply coming from Ameren or through the aggregation program.
• Most communities who participate in the aggregation program have a 70% or higher participation rate for account holders. At certain critical and volatile times in the energy market, the rate of participation increased to nearly 90% of eligible account holders. An example of this was in 2022/2023 when the aggregation rate was roughly $0.05 per kWh and the Ameren rate was well over $0.12.
• Unlike what is consistently spread through social media platforms, the elected officials of our community did not just decide to force the issue of municipal aggregation on the residents. For the communities who allow the municipal aggregation program, elected officials had to first place it in a municipality-wide election. The majority of the voting residents had to vote in favor of the municipal aggregation program. Once it was passed by the electors, the municipality then had to hold a minimum of 2 open public hearings explaining how the opt-out program worked. Many communities held more than the required 2 public meetings.
• The community uses Good Energy’s LP as their aggregation consultant and they have the responsibility to its clients is not only to bid and obtain the best rates during the bidding period, but to also be sure communities adhere to all regulatory requirements, rules, and regulations pertaining to the Program.
