Updated March 27, 12:30 p.m.
Both Brookfield and Riverside voters said yes in a big way to a referendum question regarding electricity aggregation on Tuesday night. The vote paves the way for each village to have a third party negotiate rates for electricity with power providers and pass the savings along to customers.
With all precincts reporting in Brookfield, voters approved the referendum by a 64 to 36 percent margin. In Riverside, 75 percent of voters favored aggregation.
No one will be forced to accept the price for electricity the village settles upon, but residents will have to opt out if they want to seek their own power provider or continue using ComEd’s. Each village will send out information regarding the new option in the coming months.
In Riverside, the education campaign will begin in April. Last week, village officials set dates for two public hearings on the subject to inform residents and receive feedback.
The first will be held on Tuesday, April 17 at 6 p.m. in Room 30 (third floor) of Riverside Township Hall, 27 Riverside Road.
A second hearing will be held on Tuesday, April 24 at 6 p.m. in Room 4 of township hall.
Brookfield has also scheduled its two public hearings. They will be held on April 9 and April 23 at 6:15 p.m. in the council chambers of Brookfield Village Hall, 8820 Brookfield Ave.
