Faced with a forecast doubling of the city’s electric bill once the ComEd rate freeze ends next month, Evanston aldermen Monday voted to buy electric service from Constellation NewEnergy instead.
The city expects to save more than $700,000 over the next 17 months by making the switch — but it will still see its electricity costs increase 44 percent over what they’ve been during the rate freeze.
The city also plans to buy renewable energy certificates for about $7,000 extra so it can claim that 20 percent of its electricity comes from renewable sources.
ComEd has told residential customers that their rates will increase about 22 percent next year.