Continues on page 2 >> After a week's reprieve from the election frenzy, we've got a quick look at results from around the country that you may have missed.    Chicago takes its power business elsewhere Troubles continue to mount for Commonwealth Edison. Just last month we told you about ComEd's rate dispute with the state Commerce Commission that prompted the Chicago-based utility to put the brakes on its smart grid rollout. .

.

Now on the heels of that comes an election that saw 81 communities in ComEd's service territory – including the city of Chicago -- vote to seek power from another source. ComEd will continue to provide the distribution services, but Chicago and other jurisdictions will have the option to buy power from different entities. The story is interesting in itself, but even more so as evidence that the "municipalization" trend – or community aggregation as the Wall Street Journal refers to it-- is growing. The past few years have seen several such moves in California and Colorado. Is this a blip or a long-term trend? Use the Quick Poll to vote and the Comment form below to share your opinion.

.

Michigan voters say no to 25% renewables by 2025

A proposal that would have amended the Michigan constitution to require 25% of the state's energy to come from renewables by 2025 suffered a lopsided 63% to 37% defeat.  According to the Detroit Free Press, utility companies opposed the measure. We told you back in August about a study trumpeted by measure backers that suggested passage would lead to at least 74,000 new jobs and also would bring in more than $10 billion in investments, but opponents reportedly ran a well-funded campaign that claimed the measure would cost the state $12 billion.

Arizona Dems pushing solar fail to take over state utility board

Democrats trying to take control of the Arizona Corporation Commission so they could expand solar energy's footprint in the state lost their bid. All three open seats went to Republicans and the two seats that weren't up for election are held by Republicans. At issue, according to a BusinessWeek story, is a 2006 commission order that Arizona get 15% of their energy from renewables by 2025. With the state's utilities apparently ahead of schedule on that mandate, there's no incentive to further invest in solar, according to Amanda Ormond, a former director of the state energy office and now an energy consultant. She told BusinessWeek that with the glut of natural gas lowering fuel prices, support for renewables is waning nationwide.