Morton asks residents to conserve electricity as bills set to double

MORTON (WEEK) - 15 months after it asked its residents to turn down their thermostats in the dead of Winter, now the Village of Morton wants residents to keep the dial cranked up high for the Summer.

The reason for both pleas is the same, to save energy and money on electric bills. which are expected to double in many Central Illinois communities.

“Our residents here in Morton are gonna hurt,” Public Works Director Craig Loudermilk said. “Some people are already struggling to pay their water and gas bills. Obviously groceries, gas. I hope people are listening because July, August is not gonna be good.”

Morton, like many other local communities, participates in municipal aggregation programs that help lock in lower rates than offered by utilities. But with the village’s current deal with Homefield Energy expiring next month, customers will temporarily revert to rates offered by Ameren.

The village has until August to negotiate a new deal with Homefield, through it’s consultant Good Energy. After that, customers would be locked into Ameren rates for 10 months. Loudermilk says rates in both places are set to go from around $.04 per kilowatt hour to more than $.10 per kilowatt hour. The changes will start with the bill you pay in July, for energy used in June.

“I would expect minimum $500 extra dollars a year just on electric supply,” Loudermilk said.

Personally, his family expects double that amount. He attributes the increases to energy shortages statewide, resulting from the switch to more green sources of energy. In addition, the war in Ukraine and continuing supply shortages brought on by the pandemic are also contributing to market volatility.

Other cities like East Peoria and Peoria have warned of similar Summer price hikes.

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