Politics & Government

Be Wary of Companies Selling Electricity by Phone, Official Says

The Will County Governmental League's Hugh O'Hara warns that there are firms fraudulently telling people they are the approved electrical aggregation provider, which is not true.

The Will County Governmental League is warning Bolingbrook residents to beware of disreputable companies hoping to take advantage of people eager to cash in on lower electric rates through aggregation.

People in , Channahon, Braidwood and elsewhere have reported getting calls from companies misrepresenting themselves as being the business chosen by the towns that are part of the electrical aggregation cooperative, said Hugh O'Hara, transportation director for the government league.

"Don't give them any information," O'Hara said.

Find out what's happening in Bolingbrookwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The companies are selling electricity, and if someone signs a contract that locks them in to a rate, they won't be able to get the rate negotiated by the league. It's anticipated that electricity costs could go down anywhere from 10 to 20 percent through the deal the league negotiates.

O'Hara is overseeing the electrical aggregation process for those towns in which voters approved a referendum giving their elected officials permission to seek out lower electricty rates on their behalf. Romeoville is one of those that in March.

Find out what's happening in Bolingbrookwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The process is about midway through, with the governmental league currently soliciting bids in anticipation of awarding a contract, he said.

If you live in Romeoville or any other town where the electrical aggregation referendum was approved, there is no need to do anything and no one will be calling for permission to make the switch from ComEd to a new company, O'Hara said. It happens automatically once the municipality's village board or city council signs off on the deal.

ComEd will continue to do all of the billing for electricity, regardless of who the supplier is, and will be the contact for when power outages occur.


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