Electric provider speaks to Nashville City Council

By Todd Marver

tmarver@nashnews.net

Nashville is one of 100 communities throughout Southern Illinois that Affordable Gas and Electric manages electricity aggregation programs for. Jeff Haarman of Affordable Gas and Electric attended the Nashville City Council meeting on Thursday, February 16, requesting that the council approve an updated aggregation consultant service agreement and a power of attorney document. The council approved both items at the meeting.

“We’ve been familiar with the process for several years and it has worked out well for us all that while. I’d like to see us go ahead and get the agreement and the power of attorney signed now,” said mayor Raymond Kolweier.

According to Haarman, the reason for the updated agreement is he had counterparts from Chicago working with him in the past, but now his group is taking over the entire management of the aggregate group in Southern Illinois.

Haarman said the power of attorney document gives him power of attorney to execute a rate on the city’s behalf as well as all the other communities he represents. He said the power of attorney puts him in a position to be able to enact on a new rate for the extension of the upcoming term.

“(This) is something that we’ve done the last three renewal cycles. Our current term runs through December 2023,” he said.

Haarman said Nashville citizens are in a rate of 5.4 cents a kilowatt-hour and the rate is locked until December 2023. He said the current Ameren rate to compare is 12.1 cents and that Nashville citizens are saving almost 60% on their electricity bill.

“In June of last year, Ameren’s rate went from like 5.5 cents up to 12. In June of this year, we believe their rate will go up to 13, probably closer to 14. That said, we are in the same market as Ameren is. We expect right now if we negotiate a rate today, we would probably be in the 9 to 10 cent range as a group. It’s still going to be well below Ameren, but the market is what it is today,” he said.

The council approved the purchase of a 2022 Ford Super Duty F550 dump truck at a price of $87,265.26.  Councilman Doug Hargan said this replaces the city’s 1988 Ford F700 dump truck, which will be auctioned off at a later date.

“We gave (Street Supervisor) Logan (Gill) permission to go out and look for a new dump truck. Logan has found a truck that fits our needs,” Hargan said.

The city received a request from the Sons of American Legion for a donation to the first annual BBQ competition event on April 1.  The council approved a $200 donation to the event.

Councilman Shawn Kabat said this money would go towards meat purchases and prizes and trophies.

“It all depends on how much (money) they got. Next year they might have a little better handle on it since it’ll be the second annual,” he said.