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Announcement :: Elections & Legislation |
Community Forum On Proposed ComEd/IP Merger |
Current rating: 0 |
by ISEN (No verified email address) |
13 Nov 2003
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Learn What the Proposed Merger Means for You, Your Community and Power Supply, and Renewable Energy!
Monday, November 17, 6:30-7:30PM
Urbana City Council Chambers, City Hall, 400 S. Vine, Urbana |
Learn What the Proposed Merger Means for You, Your Community and Power Supply, and Renewable Energy!
Monday, November 17, 6:30-7:30PM
Urbana City Council Chambers, City Hall, 400 S. Vine, Urbana
On Monday, Nov. 17 from 6:30-7:30PM, a community forum open to area residents and business owners will be held on legislation under consideration in Springfield to merge the local power company, Illinois Power, with Chicago-based Commonwealth Edison. The forum will help attendees better understand how this legislation - House Bill 2200 - could impact them, their power bills and electric reliability, and their community.
Earlier this fall during the General Assembly's Veto Session, Exelon, the parent company of Commonwealth Edison, proposed legislation to merge Illinois Power with ComEd. Built into this legislation is a proposed rate hike for Illinois Power customers, and likely ComEd customers as well. The bill also includes a weak and unenforceable renewable portfolio standard (renewable energy provisions), meant only to greenwash the bill.
The bill, with its proposed rate hike and weak energy standards, is opposed by a broad coalition of consumer rights groups including: the Citizens Utility Board, American Association of Retired People (AARP), Citizen Action/Illinois, Illinois Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), the Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC). The bill is likely to come up for a vote in the final week of Veto Session, November 18-20 in Springfield.
The line-up for the evening will be:
6:30-6:45PM -- David Kolata from the Citizen's Utility Board and Barry Matchett from the Environmental Law & Policy Center will speak on how the proposed legislation will impact consumers and touch on the renewable energy portions of the bill.
6:45-7PM -- City attorneys and mayors from Champaign and Urbana will talk about discussions underway to hire a consultant to study the idea of forming a municipal utility or something similar and discuss how the bill would impact the community as a whole.
7-7:10PM -- Laura Huth, community activist and Urbana City Council member, will inform residents how they can work to keep a rate hike out of the bill, help support local legislators in opposing the bill, and work across Illinois to oppose the legislation and rate hike.
7:10-7:30PM -- Questions and comments from area residents.
For questions about the forum, please contact Laura Huth at 217-778-1687 or lehuth (at) city.urbana.il.us |
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