The Tribune’s June 11 article, “Consumers’ electric bills likely to spike as coal plants close,” provided a stark warning that electricity costs will be going up. Those rising costs are beyond the control of consumers, so they need tools to manage the electricity they use.
As your article pointed out, energy efficiency is critical. So is the need for infrastructure upgrades that enable smart meters in homes so consumers can further reduce their bills. Participants in Illinois’ existing hourly pricing rate plans — where consumers pay prices that vary throughout the day — are already saving 10 to 16 percent annually on their bills.
Legislation, Senate Bill 1652, awaits Gov. Quinn’s signature that would authorize our utilities to invest in grid modernization, including smart metering technology, that would provide all consumers easy access to the information and rate plans that can save them money. The bill would also significantly expand energy efficiency programs.
Deploying smart technology and energy efficiency strategies now won’t stop energy prices from rising, but it will give consumers the tools to soften the blow from higher energy prices well into the future.
— Kathryn Tholin and Emily Robinson, Center for Neighborhood Technology, Chicago
