Power

Electricity markets are volatile again this year and that will cost Bloomington-Normal residents on their heating and cooling bills. For the last two years, the so-called municipal aggregated rate negotiated by a group of cities and towns has seen a big increase — 30% this year alone.

The City of Bloomington and Town of Normal renewed their contracts with energy supplier Constellation NewEnergy, with a 40% rate increase due to take effect in June.

Ameren Illinois has won approval from state regulators to begin construction next year on a $21 million transmission line project that will stretch across…