Living in Mahomet - Hydrant Flushing & Electrical Aggregation
- 7 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Living in Mahomet is a new feature intended to help Mahomet residents understand some of the issues affecting our town.
Fire Hydrant Flushing
What is hydrant flushing? This is a preventive maintenance program conducted by the city to keep the water system working. It consists of opening fire hydrants one at a time and letting the water gush out onto the street. It can be very surprising when you see it!
Why do it? There can be several reasons. Flushing scours the inside of water mains to clear out sediment, rust or mineral build-up. It allows the Village to be sure hydrant valves are in good working order, and in some specific cases it can remove stagnant water. Overall, it is done to ensure safety and quality of water supply.
How does this affect me? When hydrant flushing is done in your neighborhood, you may experience a temporary discoloration of the water. While water remains safe, it can discolor laundry. If you see discoloration, you can clear it by running cold water until the water runs clear. There is a good chance you will not see any affect at all.
How will I know when they are flushing hydrants in my neighborhood? Keep an eye out for signs the Village puts out at major intersections, or workers doing the work. Hydrant flushing started June 1st and will continue until done. During these first two weeks of June, it can be a good idea to run some cold water before starting a load of wash just to check if you are experiencing discoloration.
Electrical Aggregation
This is one of the more confusing subjects residents may face. We’ll try to break it down
and make it a bit easier to understand.
What is it? Electrical aggregation is a program run by the Village to reduce electrical costs for residents and make them more predictable. The Village negotiates once/year with electrical suppliers to get a price per kWh. That price stays the same throughout the next 12 months, regardless of Ameren’s prices. The negotiated price for 2026-27 is 12.91 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh). Over the years, it is estimated that this program has saved Mahomet residents nearly $2,000.000 in electric costs.
Do I have to sign up for this program? No, this is an “opt-out” program. This means that residents can choose to “opt out” of the program, but if no decision is made you will receive the aggregation rate. If you live in Mahomet, you received a letter about this in early April, with a deadline to opt out of April 16th.
What if I already have chosen a different company for my electric supply? If you have contracted with a different company to provide your electric supply, this will not apply to you. This is only for residents who are on the “standard Ameren” supply.
Why are people talking about electrical aggregation now, with the deadline already passed? Ameren recently announced their “standard” summer rates, and the summer rate this year is 11.36 cents/kWh, which is actually a little lower than the aggregation rate of 12.91 cents. This was surprising. Last year, the aggregation rate was $10.66 cents compared to Ameren’s standard summer rate of 12.81 cents. So, at least for this summer, being in aggregation will probably cost you a little more. Summer rates at Ameren are charged June – September.
What happens when summer rates are over? Often, but not always, the price for electricity drops and “non-summer” rates are lower. Last year, the “standard” rate at Ameren was 12.18 cents in summer, then dropped to 8.402 cents for Oct- Dec and 8.769 cents in Jan-May of 2026.
But that is not always the case. In 2024, summer and non-summer rates were about the same, and in 2022 the summer rate was 10.62 cents then jumped to 12.23 cents in October. So, it is hard to say. If you stick with aggregation, you know what your rates will be throughout the year.*
Where do you find Ameren rate information? If you want to do the research yourself, Ameren’s “Price to compare” rates going back through 2017 are at: https://icc.illinois.gov/api/web-management/documents/downloads/public/pluginillinois/HistoricalPriceToCompare.pdf.
Where do I see what I am paying now? Ameren’s “price to compare” is a total of two items on your electric bill – the “purchased electricity” rate plus the “transmission supply charge.” Both are found under that category of Electric Supply.
Some other important things to understand:
· This only applies to the cost of electricity, not the delivery costs or taxes. Those will not change, and usually account for about 50% of your electric bill.
· Regardless of who supplies the electricity, it is still delivered by Ameren and is usually billed by them as well.
Can I still get out of aggregation if I choose?
Yes. Even though the deadline has passed, you can always choose to withdraw from the program. However, if you do, you will be required by Ameren to stay with the utility as a supplier for 12 months. You cannot request to be re-added to the program during this time period. And since the program has already started, you may pay at aggregation rates for a month or so until the change is recorded with Ameren.
Who would I contact to withdraw from electrical aggregation? The Village CANNOT do it. Please don't call them. Contact Direct Energy at (866) 968-8065 or email them at aggregationsupport@directenergy.com
This is complicated. How do I make this decision? We are trying to explain this as clearly as possible. But in the end, we cannot tell you what to do. Here, as clearly as we can make it, are your options:
Option A – Stay in Aggregation
Benefits:
· You don’t have to do anything.
· You will have fixed electric supply rates through May of 2027.
· If rates go up after summer is over, you are protected.
Drawbacks
· You will pay about 1.6 cents/kWh more this summer. If Ameren’s non-summer rates are lower, that amount will increase. (But most people use less electricity at this time.)
Option B – Withdraw from Aggregation
Benefits:
· Your price will definitely be lower this summer.
· If non-summer rates are lower, you will have lower rates all year.
Drawbacks
· You have to contact Direct Energy to withdraw.
· If prices skyrocket in the next 12 months, you will pay the standard Ameren rates.
How much money are we actually talking here? Is it worth the time and hassle? This is a great question. Of course, without knowing what Ameren’s non-summer rates will be, we can’t answer it. But if you pay an average of 1.6 cents more over a year, based on an average usage of 900 kWh’s per month, that would be an increase of $14.40/month or $172.80 per year. Of course, the size of your residence will impact this as well.
We hope you have found this helpful in understanding an often confusing topic. Thank you to Patrick Brown at the Village who took time to help us understand the subject. The Village has more information available at https://www.mahomet-il.gov/article/2796169.
*Note: This is complicated. For instance, Ameren also offers a chance to pay different rates based on the time of day you use the electricity, an option which can be attractive to those who charge electric vehicles overnight. All of this information applies to standard rates.