Latest local news, weather and high school sports for Tri-State area

QUINCY, ILL. -- The city of Quincy's electric aggregation plan approved by voters in November is about to go online.

Quincy residents will begin getting mailed letters about their options from the city within the next week.

The letter will outline what the plan will consist of and what residents will have to do or not have to do to get a cheaper electric rate on their monthly utility bill.

But as this plan moves forward, City Hall is receiving calls about another company that is going door-to-door soliciting business and claiming to represent the city.

Reg Ankrom is an electric consultant and he said that door-to-door solicitations are legal under Illinois law, but that those sales representatives are not representing the city and the company the city has negotiated a cheaper rate with.

"People do have a right to choice and there are really several choices they have in regards to electricity and one is buying an individual contract, they can do that," he said. "But when a person represents themselves as an agent of the city or an agent of First Energy that's wrong that's deceptive and shouldn't happen."

Under new guidelines in Illinois, electric customers can choose from any number of approved electric supply companies, Ankrom said. The city has already negotiated a competitive bulk rate with a company for the next three years.

Mayor John Spring also has some concern about what is being reported by some city residents.

"If they don't want to opt out, if they want to be in our plan and see that savings they don't have to do anything," he said. "That's the beauty of this and no one is going to knock on their door, they don't have to do anything. Come in the next couple of months, once we get this this initiated, they're going to start seeing savings on their plan."

Spring also said the rate city residents will pay is $.04194 cents per kilowatt hour. The mayor also wanted to remind people that all the billing and customer service will still go through Ameren and that resident won't see any changes in their service except a cheaper electric rate.

For details on the electric aggregation plan, you can visit the city of Quincy's website or go to the Illinois Commerce Commission website. You can also call Quincy City Hall at 217-228-4500 for any information or questions you may have about the plan.