Community Solar

The Niles Board of Trustees voted in July 2021 to support joining a community solar program once the residential electrical aggregation program was complete (September 30, 2021). In August 2021, the Board heard a presentation on the MC2 community solar program and benefits to residents.

A community solar project is a single site solar installation shared by multiple subscribers. Community solar allows subscribers to receive net metering credits on their electricity bill and support the development of new renewable energy resources, without needing to install equipment on their property. Community solar projects in Illinois are defined as no larger than 2,000 kW in peak capacity per site.

What are the Benefits?

When Niles residents join a solar array, they will save 20% on electricity costs for solar generation credits achieved. Community Solar is an easy way to support clean energy generation located within Illinois. Supporting these types of projects helps reduce the dependence on fossil fuels and support clean energy generation. In addition, you do not have to invest in a solar asset on your rooftop, which may not be right for everybody. You will receive a net metering credit on your monthly ComEd electric utility bill for your share of the generation created by these projects.

How Do I Sign-Up?

You can join the MC Squared Community Solar waitlist here. You will need your ComEd bill handy to sign up. In order for your application to be approved, ComEd must be listed as your supplier on your bill. If you previously had Eligo Energy as your supplier through the Village's aggregation program, please wait until your bill has been updated with ComEd as your supplier before applying.

MC Squared Energy Services LLC will be handling all of the sign-ups and account administration. Once you have submitted your information, they will contact you when a solar farm is ready.

Next Steps

Have you joined the community solar waitlist? When it's your turn to enroll, you will receive an email from MC2 Community Solar (mc2athome@mc2energyservices.com) informing you of your eligibility. This enrollment notice will be customized to your account and will provide a personal savings estimate. After receiving this email, you have five days to enroll before the next person on the list is selected. Click the green "Click Here to Enroll" button to start receiving savings as a subscriber. If you'd like to pass on the offer, click the gray "Click Here to be Removed from the Waitlist" button.

Questions?

You do not need to contact the Village of Niles to participate in the program. However, if you have questions or problems signing up, please call the General Government Department at 847-588-8010.

Contact MC Squared Energy Services at solar@mc2energyservices.com or 833-949-2810.

You will need your ComEd bill handy.

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Electrical Aggregation Program

On December 11, 2012, the Niles Board of Trustees an approved a resolution to authorize a referendum regarding municipal electrical aggregation. However, as of September 30, 2021 the Niles' electrical aggregation program will end. For a FAQ on the termination of the residential electrical aggregation program, please click here.

Electrical Supply

Residents were asked if the Village of Niles should have the authority to arrange for the supply of electricity for its residential and small commercial retail customers who have not opted out of such program. The purpose of this program is to combine (aggregate) electricity service for the residents and small businesses in Niles in an attempt to save money on utility bills.

On April 9, 2013, a referendum was approved by residents to allow the Village of Niles to create an opt-out municipal electric aggregation program for eligible residential and small business customers (less than 15,000 kilowatts per year).

NOTICE- October 23, 2019:

Before entering into a contract with Eligo Energy in June of 2018, IDT Energy was the Village’s electrical aggregation supplier from 2015 to 2017. As a result of a settlement between IDT Energy and the Illinois Attorney General’s Office in 2019, Niles residents who were enrolled in the Village’s electrical aggregation program with IDT Energy have received refund checks in the mail in October of 2019. Both IDT Energy and the Attorney General’s Office have confirmed the checks mailed to residents from IDT Energy in October, 2019 are legitimate, and residents will not be switched over to IDT Energy if they cash the checks.

Please call the Illinois Attorney General’s Consumer Fraud Hotline at 800-386-5438 or 800-964-3013 with questions or concerns.

http://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/about/hotlines.html

Eligo Energy

On April 25, 2017, the Village of Niles conducted an online auction for electric suppliers and determined that Eligo Energy offered the most competitive rate, which was more favorable than the ComEd rate to compare. Most recently, the Village executed an extension with Eligo for three years, until September 2021.

Eligo Energy currently offers an electricity supply rate of $0.06725 per kilowatt hour through September 2019. After September 2019, Eligo's rate will increase to $0.073 per kilowatt hour. If at any time ComEd drops their rate below Eligo's program in Niles, Eligo will match the lower ComEd rate. A price match occurred both in October 2018 and May 2019. In October 2018, ComEd decreased their Price to Compare (PTC) from $.07939 per kilowatt hour to $.07292 per kilowatt hour though May 2019. Eligo therefore dropped their rate to $.07292 through May 2019. In May 2019, ComEd again decreased their PTC to $.06725, and Eligo then matched ComEd's rate.

If you would like additional information on this program or to enroll, please contact Eligo Energy at 312-260-0885 or 888-744-8125.

Price Match Guarantee

Niles' current contract with Eligo Energy contains a provision for a "price match guarantee" so that Niles customers enrolled in the electrical aggregation program always receive the same rate as ComEd or lower.

Eligo is usually able to keep a majority of Niles aggregation customers in the electrical aggregation program. However, there have been times when residents were returned to Comed was because Eligo could not reach the "price match guarantee" for their specific account. This was due to variety of factors mainly based on how consistently the household/customer used energy. These customers/residents who were dropped from the electrical aggregation program and returned to ComEd had poor load factors and sporadic energy use.

If in June 2020 ComEd rates go above the Eligo/Niles aggregation rate, Eligo will re-enroll previously dropped accounts to the Niles electrical aggregation program for the final 12 months of the aggregation program in order to pass on savings to all residents.

Additional Information

Residents who do not wish to participate in the municipal aggregation program can opt-out at any time with no penalty or fee by calling Eligo Energy at 312-260-0885 or 888-744-8125.

For more information, please contact Eligo Energy at 312-260-0885 or 888-744-8125.

For more information on how to read your ComEd Bill, please visit the ComEd website or view this video.

http://www.eligoenergy.com/cities/il/NilesVillage

https://citizensutilityboard.org/electric_municipalaggregation/

https://citizensutilityboard.org/cub-alerts-comed-customers-summer-power-prices/

Electrical Aggregation Helpful Links

www.comed.com/customer-service/billing-payment/understand-bill/Pages/residential.aspx