The City of Lincoln is in the process of seeking out suppliers bids for the aggregation of electricity suppliers.

Lincoln voters along with several other small Logan County communities approved the measure for the city governments to move forward with that. Lincoln Mayor Keith Snyder explains those communities are now working cooperatively to bring back the best bids for their residents and small businesses. A firm has been hired to investigate the validity of the suppliers they receive bids from. Mayor Snyder notes, soon residents should be receiving information on who the city will go with and the savings they can realize.

[audio:7212lincolnelectric1.mp3] [/audio]

The referendum in March passed by an approximate 60/40 split. Mayor Snyder felt some voters may have viewed the process as too good to be true. The Mayor estimates depending on the bids that come in and electrical rates when they receive those bids, residents could see an approximate 10% to 20% savings in their electrical bills.

[audio:7212lincolnelectric2.mp3] [/audio]

The city will likely lock into a short one-year contract for the first year, they then are able to go back out for bids this time in 2013. Mayor Snyder says, if Ameren's rates by then become lower than the competitive market elsewhere, the communities then go back to Ameren as their electric supplier.

[audio:7212lincolnelectric3.mp3] [/audio]

Mayor Snyder explains this past March was the first time this system was able to be voted on by voters of down state Illinois. This was first available in the suburban areas of Illinois, and Mayor Snyder feels, many communities are just now hearing about it. The state does mandate the issue be taken to referendum. The next opportunity voters of other communities can take advantage of electric aggregation will be in November.