The Will County Governmental League is warning residents to beware of disreputable companies hoping to take advantage of people eager to cash in on lower electric rates through aggregation.

People in Romeoville, Channahon, Braidwood and elsewhere have reported getting calls from companies misrepresenting themselves as being the business chosen by the towns that are part of the electrical aggregation cooperative, said Hugh O'Hara, transportation director for the government league.

"Don't give them any information," O'Hara said.

The companies are selling electricity, and if someone signs a contract that locks them in to a rate, they won't be able to get the rate negotiated by the league. It's anticipated that electricity costs could go down anywhere from 10 to 20 percent through the deal the league negotiates.

O'Hara is overseeing the electrical aggregation process for those towns in which voters approved a referendum giving their elected officials permission to seek out lower electricty rates on their behalf. The process is about midway through, with the governmental league currently soliciting bids in anticipation of awarding a contract, he said.

While Joliet voters rejected the referendum, residents will still be able to take advantage of the lower rates by "opting in" to the deal once it's finalized.

If you live in a town where the electrical aggregation referendum was approved, there is no need to do anything and no one will be calling for permission to make the switch from ComEd to a new company, O'Hara said. It happens automatically once the municipality's village board or city council signs off on the deal.

In Joliet, residents will be notified by mail, not by phone, O'Hara stressed. They will need to sign a document saying they want to "opt in" on the deal.

ComEd will continue to do all of the billing for electricity, regardless of who the supplier is, and will be the contact for when power outages occur.