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Heading into 2026, CUB names biggest threats to utility bills

Jim Chilsen — Sun, 14 Dec 2025 17:18:11 +0000

Based on its experience combatting high utility costs over the past year, the consumer watchdog Citizens Utility Board (CUB) of Illinois has issued its list of what looks to be major threats to utility affordability in 2026. “As consumers struggle with high prices across the board for everyday necessities like groceries and health care, escalating utility costs just make their lives more difficult,” CUB Executive Director Sarah Moskowitz said. “We think it’s important to identify the biggest culprits for rising energy bills, so consumers can be empowered to work for solutions.” Runaway Data Center Energy Demand. Unprecedented energy demand connected to data centers was the primary cause of a 45-50 percent spike in electricity prices for Commonwealth Edison and Ameren Illinois customers in the summer of 2025. Elevated prices will remain a problem in 2026, and customers face even higher bills and rolling blackouts in the years to come if decisive action isn’t taken in Springfield and at PJM Interconnection, the power grid operator for northern Illinois and all or part of a dozen other states. CUB has written about state and regional reforms that could rein in data centers. Rate-hike-hungry utilities. Major electric and gas utilities—ComEd, Ameren Illinois, Nicor Gas, Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas—have pushed for billions of dollars in rate hikes on the “delivery” section of bills in recent years. Under utility regulation, gas and electric companies earn a return on their infrastructure investments, incentivizing them to spend aggressively and push for rate hikes. The current Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) has shown more sensitivity toward customer affordability in recent years, and consumer advocates have helped slash rate-hike requests significantly. But for far too many customers, any rate hike is difficult. Bad alternative supplier deals. Many Illinois consumers are allowed to choose a company other than their utility to supply them with electricity or gas, but the market is littered with bad deals. For example, CUB’s review of state data in 2025 found that Illinois electricity customers have lost more than $2.1 billion to alternative suppliers over the last 10 years. The utility’s supply price is likely your best bet. Also, consider a community solar offer. Volatile energy markets. After a period of relative stability, Illinois consumers have been hit by skyrocketing gas prices in recent years. Analysts have predicted that prices could grow more volatile as increasing volumes of fuel are exported through liquefied natural gas facilities. In December, eight of Illinois’ nine utilities are charging supply prices that are higher than last December, by a range of 10 percent to 63 percent, according to a CUB review. Escalating water bills. Illinois American and Aqua Illinois—the state’s two biggest private water utilities—have spent more than $411 million buying up public water systems since 2013. And under state law, they can charge customers for 100 percent of those acquisition costs. CUB is working for a legislative reform that would require shareholders, and not everyday consumers, to shoulder the majority of those costs. Learn more about this issue at CUBWaterTracker.com. (Note: The parent companies of Aqua and Illinois American have announced plans to merge.) Inefficient homes. The federal […]

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CUB’s money-saving events in December

Jim Chilsen — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 16:42:30 +0000

The Citizens Utility Board’s Outreach team travels across the state to staff free events giving consumers energy efficiency tips for their home, educating them on how clean energy can cut their utility bills and helping people protect themselves from scams and rip-offs. Now in the winter heating season, CUB can help you learn how to make your home more efficient. We hope to see you at an event soon! 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., Monday, Dec. 1, Darien Home Energy Savings with CUB (in-person) Join CUB and the Indian Prairie Public Library (401 Plainfield Rd, Darien, IL 60561) to learn about ways to save money on your utility bills. During this presentation we will cover the following topics: understanding your utility bills, your energy choices, energy efficiency programs that can help consumers save energy, and solar options. Please register in advance here. Home Energy Savings + Internet Options and Data Privacy (online) 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 2 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 4 Are you concerned about the rise in utility prices and online security? Join CUB, Chicago Ald. Matt O’Shea, state Sen. Bill Cunningham, and state Rep. Mary Gill for information about how to reduce your energy usage and avoid online scams. This event is designed to help you better understand the ins and outs of your utility bills, avoid utility scams, and learn about programs designed to save you money and energy. Plus, you’ll learn how to protect your online privacy against internet scams. Stay safe and informed in this digital world! To attend the Dec. 2 event, please register here. To attend the Dec. 4 event, please register here. 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 4, Wheaton Utility Bill Clinic (in-person) Join CUB at the Wheaton City Hall (303 W. Wesley Street, Wheaton, IL 60187) for a free event hosted by state Sen. Seth Lewis to learn about suggestions on how to reduce your utility bills and tap into money-saving, clean energy programs. Each participant will speak one-on-one with a CUB counselor to receive a personalized analysis of their bills. Please register in advance here. 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 6, Palatine Mobile DMV (in-person) Join CUB at a Mobile DMV event hosted by state Rep. Nabeela Syed at the Palatine Township (721 South Quentin Road). CUB counselors will be available at the event to answer questions about your gas, electric, and telecom bills. They will share tips on spotting unnecessary charges, methods to reduce your utility bills (including rebates and energy efficiency programs), avoiding scams, and options to access solar. For DMV appointments, please register in advance here. 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 13, Zion Home Energy Savings Presentation / Cómo ahorrar en las facturas de servicios públicos (in-person) Join the CUB, state Rep. Joyce Mason, and state Senator Mary Edly-Allen at the Zion-Benton Public Library (2400 Gabriel Ave, Zion, IL 60099) to learn about ways to save money on your utility bills. During this presentation we will cover the following topics: understanding your utility bills, your energy choices, energy efficiency programs that can help consumers […]

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CUB News Release: 104% increase in Peoples Gas price in April exposes how utility misled customers on record rate hike

Jim Chilsen — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 15:59:50 +0000

A spike in April’s heating fuel price shows that Peoples Gas drastically understated the fallout customers would experience from a record-breaking rate hike the company imposed last year, the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) warned Thursday. (Read CUB’s news release here, and here’s the Chicago Tribune’s coverage of the issue.) Peoples Gas instituted a $300 million rate hike in December 2023, claiming that the cost increase – the largest for a gas utility in Illinois history – would be neutralized by declining gas prices. As a result, the company said the massive rate hike was “not expected to increase the typical customer’s bill.” That forecast proved deceptive in the wake of disclosures this week that the utility’s gas supply price in April has more than doubled over what it was a year ago. Peoples Gas’ price of 52.79 cents per therm in April is about 30 percent higher than March’s price, and about 104 percent higher than April 2024. It’s the second-highest price Peoples Gas has charged during the month of April in the last decade. The gloomy news comes as Chicagoans are already suffering what consumer advocates have decried as a heating-affordability crisis, as the mounting cost of Peoples Gas service has left its customers reeling in debt. In February, nearly 150,000 Chicago households were more than 30-days delinquent on their Peoples Gas accounts, and customers were shackled to more than $74.5 million in cumulative debt to the company, according to data the utility has submitted to the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC). “Peoples Gas misled its customers,” CUB Executive Director Sarah Moskowitz said. “It was absurd for the utility to claim that its rate hike wouldn’t lead to higher bills. The supply price spike took effect on April Fools’ Day, but this is no joke for so many Chicago families who are struggling to afford their heating bills. We hope it’s a warm spring.” In a January 2023 news release announcing that it had filed for an increase in gas delivery charges, Peoples assured customers: “The filing is not expected to increase the typical customer’s bill.” The utility explained that gas supply prices were forecast to decline over the next two years, and that decline would balance out the increase they sought on the delivery side of bills. At the time, consumer advocates scoffed at Peoples Gas’ claim. CUB and others argued that while gas prices do drop temporarily at times, they also regularly spike in the volatile commodity market. It was only a matter of time before an increase in the supply price would combine with the delivery rate hike to increase overall bills, advocates said. In November of 2023, Peoples Gas won a $303 million rate hike and imposed it on customers the following month. That increase–the largest gas hike in Illinois history–helped capture record profits for the utility in 2024, marking seven out of eight years Peoples has set an earnings record. And now supply prices are moving up also. After a two-year stint of relative price stability, Peoples Gas’ supply rate has been steadily increasing, from 31.73 cents per therm in December 2024 to 52.79 cents per […]

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CUB’s monthly report on gas market volatility: Price spikes in April 2025

Jim Chilsen — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 10:03:36 +0000

April gas supply prices are elevated for most utilities, led by Peoples Gas, which is charging a supply rate that is more than 100 percent higher than last year; Illinois Gas, which is up by about 75 percent; and Nicor Gas, which is up by about 71 percent. “These numbers are particularly disappointing and disturbing, given that on the other side of the bill two utilities, Nicor and Ameren, are trying to increase delivery rates for next winter, which means their customers could have an even harder time affording their bills if gas supply prices remain elevated,” CUB Communications Director Jim Chilsen said. “We are challenging the delivery rate hikes, but with these supply price spikes we’re at the mercy of an extremely volatile gas market. I hope we have a warmer spring so these elevated prices don’t hurt as much.” Chilsen added that energy efficiency measures at home also can help blunt the impact of these supply increases. (See tips below.) The EIA’s Short Term Energy Outlook says gas prices could be up over the next two years. So why are prices up? Forbes reported in March that prices in the United States had soared because of high demand and constrained supply, thanks to multiple factors, including extreme weather, record liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports to feed increased demand in Europe and Asia, and other global issues, such as the war in Ukraine. “This surge has significant implications for consumers, industries, and energy markets worldwide,” Forbes reported. Gas utilities in the state file supply prices–called the Purchased Gas Adjustment (PGA)–each month with the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC). Here’s what CUB uncovered in our review of prices in April. Compared with last month (March 2025), prices were higher for five of 9 utilities: Ameren (about 5 percent higher than last month), Illinois Gas (about 28 percent), Peoples Gas (about 30 percent), Liberty Utilities (about 40 percent) and Nicor Gas (about 53 percent higher). These four utilities saw supply price decreases: North Shore Gas (about 0.7 percent lower), MidAmerican Energy (about 5.5 percent), Consumers Gas (about 29 percent) and Mt. Carmel (about 36 percent lower). Compared with April 2024, prices were higher for seven of 9 utilities, ranging from about about 9 percent higher for Ameren to about 103.6 percent higher for Peoples Gas. Of the two utilities with lower prices compared with last April, the price for Liberty Utilities was about 5 percent lower and the price for Consumers Gas was about 11 percent lower. Below, see the full list comparing the PGAs for this month with a year ago. April Gas Prices Ameren Illinois– 48.89 cents per therm (up about 9 percent from April 2024) Consumers Gas– 30.66 cents per therm (down about 11 percent from April 2024) Illinois Gas– 66.91 cents per therm (up about 75 percent from April 2024) Liberty Utilities– 60.5 cents per therm (down about 5 percent from April 2024) MidAmerican Energy– 57.79 cents per therm (up about 57 percent from April 2024) Mt. Carmel– 35.71 cents per therm (up about 25 percent from April 2024) Nicor Gas– 58.0 cents per therm (up about 71 percent […]

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Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition research shows a “painful history” of aggressive gas hikes

Jim Chilsen — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 21:36:54 +0000

In a little more than a decade, Illinois’ three major gas utilities have raised delivery rates by close to $1.5 billion, almost doubling what customers pay–and aggressive utility spending threatens to make it even worse for consumers in years to come, according to research by members of the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition, including Illinois PIRG and CUB. “These statistics outline a painful history for gas customers, and they serve as a warning that it could get even worse if Illinois doesn’t rein in out-of-control spending by gas utilities and start planning for a managed transition to cheaper, cleaner forms of heat in years to come,” said Jim Chilsen, CUB director of communications. He added that this year’s Illinois Commerce Commission ruling on the Peoples Gas pipeline-replacement program was a significant step in the right direction. The core of the problem with escalating gas bills is aggressive spending by gas utilities on massive capital projects (the companies are incentivized by their rate structure to overspend). Here’s what consumers have faced with Illinois’ three top gas utilities, according to ICJC research. Nicor Gas… Has raised rates by 114 percent since 2017 – totaling $747 million. (Before this stretch, Nicor had raised rates by less than 30 percent over more than two decades.) Has raised rates more than any major utility in Illinois, even ComEd. Wants yet another rate hike–what would be a state-record $309 million increase. Wants to increase its shareholder profit rate to an outrageous 10.35 percent. Ameren Illinois… Has raised gas rates by $202 million, or 50 percent, since 2018. Wants to raise rates yet again, this time by $134 million. Wants to increase its profit rate for shareholders to an outrageous 10.7 percent. Peoples Gas… Has raised rates by $499 million, or 98 percent, since 2011–including a state-record $303 million rate hike in 2023. (Peoples is expected to file for yet another rate hike either this year or next.) Has raked in record profits seven out of the last eight years, thanks to its over-budget, behind-schedule pipe-replacement program. (State regulators recently ordered Peoples to reform the program to cost-effectively focus on replacing the riskiest pipes.) And it could get much worse if utilities across the state are allowed to spend at the pace they want. An analysis released by Groundwork Data and the Building Decarbonization Coalition in May 2024 found that if policymakers allow the status quo to continue, delivery charges–what the utilities charge consumer to deliver gas to their homes–could grow by four to five times by 2050. (See page 72 of the report. Also, here’s a summary of the report.) It’s sobering to think that the grim statistics above only deal with gas delivery charges–not supply. Gas is a volatile commodity, so when supply prices spike again, like they did in 2021, customers will be socked with a double whammy–high supply and delivery rates, driving more people into crisis. Given that gas is so unsustainably expensive, CUB is glad that the ICC has been reining in the gas utilities in recent years, including the most recent ruling on the troubled Peoples Gas pipe-replacement program. We’re also pleased […]

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CUB’s monthly report on gas market volatility: March 2025

Jim Chilsen — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 17:28:27 +0000

Gas utilities file supply prices–called the Purchased Gas Adjustment (PGA)–each month with the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC). Here’s what CUB uncovered in our review of prices in March. Compared with last month (February 2025), prices were higher for eight of 9 utilities: Ameren (about 0.24 percent higher), Illinois Gas (about 3.1 percent), Liberty Utilities (about 38.7 percent), MidAmerican Energy (about 10.6 percent), Mt. Carmel (about 11.7 percent), Nicor Gas (about 18.8 percent), North Shore Gas (about 13.8 percent) and Peoples Gas (about 4.5 percent). The lone utility that saw a price decrease was Consumers Gas, with an 11.3 percent decline since last month Compared with March 2024, prices were higher for six of 9 utilities, ranging from about 2.7 percent higher for Nicor to about 55.7 percent higher for Consumers Gas. Of the utilities with lower prices from a year ago, the drop ranged from about 1.7 percent lower for Ameren to about 36.4 percent lower for Liberty Utilities. Below, see the full list comparing the PGAs for this month with a year ago. March Gas Prices Ameren Illinois– 46.44 cents per therm (down about 1.7 percent from March 2024) Consumers Gas– 43.36 cents per therm (up about 55.7 percent from March 2024) Illinois Gas– 52.32 cents per therm (up about 47.5 percent from March 2024) Liberty Utilities– 43.35 cents per therm (down about 36.4 percent from March 2024) MidAmerican Energy– 61.17 cents per therm (up about 42.4 percent from March 2024) Mt. Carmel– 56.1 cents per therm (down about 29.8 percent from March 2024) Nicor Gas– 38.0 cents per therm (up about 2.7 percent from March 2024) North Shore Gas– 56.4 cents per therm (up about 45.4 percent from March 2024) Peoples Gas– 40.7 cents per therm (up about 20.1 percent from March 2024) Note: Your utility is determined by where you live, so you cannot switch from one utility to another. Under Illinois law, gas utilities are not allowed to profit off supply prices—they pass those costs from gas producers and marketers onto customers with no markup. State regulators annually review the utilities’ gas-management procedures to evaluate whether the companies did a reasonable job with their gas purchases, given market conditions, to hold down costs for consumers as much as possible. The gas utilities are allowed to profit off the delivery side of bills–and Nicor and Ameren Illinois are both pushing for rate hikes in 2025. If you are having trouble affording your gas bills, you are not alone! A few tips from CUB: See if you qualify for energy assistance. To apply or learn more about the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), visit this state of Illinois webpage. (Also, check out our Step by step guide to applying for LIHEAP.) Keep the lines of communication open with your utility. If you are having trouble affording your gas bills, it is vital that you contact your utility. Ask if you qualify for any energy assistance programs; see if you can set up a plan that gives you more time to pay off your bills; and inquire about no or low-cost energy efficiency programs the company offers. Practice energy […]

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CUB’s 2025 State Capitol agenda: Fighting high bills, ridiculous charges, secret votes and supplier overcharges

Jim Chilsen — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 12:50:52 +0000

By Bryan McDaniel CUB’s Director of Governmental Affairs The thing about consumer advocates is that we never give up. That’s why year after year, we’re advocating for strong, pro-consumer policy in the halls of the State Capitol. Here’s a summary of what we’re working on. Senate Bill 75: The Water Affordability Act The 2025 session is off to a fast start for consumers with the assignment of SB 75, the Water Affordability Act, to a Senate Committee. CUB helped to introduce the bill along with Sen. Laura Murphy. It’s never easy to pass good consumer legislation in Springfield and this bill will be no different–we face stiff opposition from Aqua Illinois and Illinois American Water, which just received rate hikes. The legislation would end the Qualifying Infrastructure Plant (QIP) surcharge, which allows water utilities to raise rates more quickly, and it would require shareholders to pay the majority of the price tag when a utility purchases a water or sewer system. Under current law, Aqua and Illinois American can charge customers for 100 percent of those costs. Take Action: Urge Springfield to Pass the Water Affordability Act (SB 75) Senate Bill 1275: The Utility Transparency Act CUB has worked with Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton to have SB 1275, the Utility Transparency Act, introduced again this year. The measure follows similar legislation passed in Colorado, Maine, and Connecticut that helped reduce certain ridiculous expenses utilities can recover from ratepayers. The measure here in Illinois would prohibit investor-owned private utilities like ComEd, Nicor Gas, Peoples Gas, Ameren and Illinois American Water from charging customers for these expenses: Memberships in trade associations that push their agenda; Work devoted to political issues campaigns, such as referendums; Pricey insurance the utilities buy to protect their shareholders; Goodwill advertising that enhances a utility’s image and benefits shareholders; Outside lawyers and experts when a utility pushes for a rate hike. Needless to say, the utilities aren’t excited about this bill. Ratepayers should not be paying to enhance utility political power and utility efforts to raise rates. SB 1275 is a commonsense measure. Take Action: Urge Springfield to Pass the Utility Transparency Act (SB 1275) House Bill 1284: Electric and Gas Customer Protection Act Market reports, based on alternative supplier rate data submitted to the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC), continue to show that consumers with alternative electric suppliers have suffered hundreds of millions of dollars in losses, compared with the utility price. HB 1284, sponsored by Rep. Kimberly Du Buclet, features two critical consumer protections that will help to ensure Illinois electric and gas markets are working as intended for consumers. The bill would: require a customer signature if the supplier wants to increase its rate at the time of auto renewal; prohibit supplier agents from being paid on commission. CUB is tired of meeting consumers being charged double and even triple the utility price. It’s wrong, and it needs to end. HB 1284 would go a long way towards helping. Take Action: Support the Electric and Gas Customer Protection Act (HB 1284) House Bill 1802: Electric Utility Accountability HB 1802 , sponsored by Rep Joyce Mason, is an […]

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Check out CUB’s free February events

Jim Chilsen — Sun, 02 Feb 2025 12:18:19 +0000

CUB’s Outreach team travels across the state of Illinois to staff free events to give consumers energy efficiency tips for their home, educate them on how clean energy can cut their utility bills and help people protect themselves from scams and rip-offs. We hope to see you at one soon! 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 5, Garfield Park Affordable and Sustainable Housing Workshop (in-person event) Join CUB and Illinois Solar for All at the Garfield Park Community Council offices (4215 W. Washington Blvd., Chicago, IL 60624) on Wednesday, Feb. 5 from 4 p.m.- 6 p.m. Bring your ComEd bill and get expert advice on how to save money in the cold months ahead. Please register for this in-person event or call 773-948-8989, ext. 160. 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 11, Elgin Utility Bill Clinic (in-person) CUB and state Rep. Anna Moeller are hosting a free utility bill clinic at Gail Borden Library (270 N. Grove Avenue, Elgin, IL 60120), where CUB will provide suggestions on how to reduce your utility bills and tap into money-saving, clean energy programs. Each participant will speak one-on-one with a CUB counselor to receive a personalized analysis of their bills. For questions or to reserve your spot for this in-person event, contact Rep. Moeller’s office: 847-841-7130 or email staterepmoeller@gmail.com. 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 11, Understanding Cable Options and Reducing Robocalls (in-person) Join CUB at the Lake Villa District Public Library for a free presentation about your cable options and reducing robocalls. A CUB representative will discuss the choices in the TV market, ways to cut cable costs, streaming services available to consumers and how to avoid common robocall scams. Please register for this in-person event. 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 13, Understanding Cable Options and Reducing Robocalls (virtual event) Join CUB and the Mount Prospect Public Library for a free presentation about internet privacy and reducing robocalls. A CUB representative will provide insights on how to protect yourself online and over the phone to avoid costly scams. Please register for this online event. 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 19, Skokie Utility Bill Clinic (in-person) CUB and the Village of Skokie are hosting a free utility bill clinic at Skokie Village Hall (5127 Oakton St., Skokie, IL 60077), where CUB will provide suggestions on how to reduce your utility bills and tap into money-saving, clean energy programs. Each participant will speak one-on-one with a CUB counselor to receive a personalized analysis of their bills. Please register for this in-person event. 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., Monday, Feb. 24, Evergreen Park Utility Bill Clinic (in-person) CUB and the Village of Evergreen Park are hosting a free utility bill clinic at Evergreen Park Village Hall (9418 S. Kedzie Ave., Evergreen Park, IL 60805), where CUB will provide suggestions on how to reduce your utility bills and tap into money-saving, clean energy programs. Each participant will speak one-on-one with a CUB counselor to receive a personalized analysis of their bills. 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 25, Decarbonizing Your Home (in-person) Join CUB and Greener Grove, a grassroots […]

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CUB’s monthly report on gas market volatility: February 2025

Jim Chilsen — Sun, 02 Feb 2025 00:58:54 +0000

Gas utilities file supply prices–called the Purchased Gas Adjustment (PGA)–each month with the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC). Here’s what CUB uncovered in our review of prices in February. Compared with last month (January 2025), prices were higher for eight of 9 utilities: Ameren Illinois (about 1.8 percent higher), Illinois Gas (about 2.8 percent), MidAmerican (about 9.5 percent), North Shore Gas (about 10.9 percent), Nicor Gas (about 14.3 percent), Peoples Gas (about 16.4 percent), Consumers Gas (about 24.3 percent), and Liberty Utilities (about 24.4 percent). Mt. Carmel was the only utility that saw its price go down, by about 7.3 percent. Compared with February 2024, prices were higher for six of 9 utilities, ranging from 6.4 percent higher for Ameren Illinois to 43.5 percent higher for Consumers Gas. Of the utilities with lower prices from a year ago, the drop ranged from 1.9 percent lower for Mt. Carmel to 46.8 percent lower for Liberty Utilities. See the list below, comparing the PGAs for this month with a year ago. February Gas Prices Ameren Illinois– 46.32 cents per therm (up about 6.4 percent from February 2024) Consumers Gas– 48.89 cents per therm (up about 43.5 percent from February 2024) Illinois Gas– 50.77 cents per therm (up about 24.2 percent from February 2024) Liberty Utilities– 31.25 cents per therm (down about 46.8 percent from February 2024) MidAmerican Energy– 55.3 cents per therm (up about 12.6 percent from February 2024) Mt. Carmel– 50.24 cents per therm (down about 1.9 percent from February 2024) Nicor Gas– 32.00 cents per therm (down about 17.9 percent from February 2024) North Shore Gas– 49.57 cents per therm (up about 19.9 percent from February 2024) Peoples Gas– 38.94 cents per therm (up about 18.3 percent from February 2024) Note: Your utility is determined by where you live, so you cannot switch from one utility to another. Under Illinois law, gas utilities are not allowed to profit off supply prices—they pass those costs from gas producers and marketers onto customers with no markup. State regulators annually review the utilities’ gas-management procedures to evaluate whether the companies did a reasonable job with their gas purchases, given market conditions, to hold down costs for consumers as much as possible. A few tips from CUB: See if you qualify for energy assistance. To apply or learn more about the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), visit this state of Illinois webpage. (Also, check out our Step by step guide to applying for LIHEAP.) Keep the lines of communication open with your utility. If you are having trouble affording your gas bills, it is vital that you contact your utility. Ask if you qualify for any energy assistance programs; see if you can set up a plan that gives you more time to pay off your bills; and inquire about no or low-cost energy efficiency programs the company offers. Practice energy efficiency at home. Your Winter To-Do List: Save Money, Keep the Chill Out Tips for staying safe, warm and energy-efficient during Illinois winters Save energy and money with these winter efficiency tips Beware of alternative supplier rip-offs. If a deal seems too good […]

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Illinois Future of Gas: Alternative Fuels Meeting – January 13, 2025

Jim Chilsen — Sat, 01 Feb 2025 01:07:51 +0000

By: Scott Allen, Energy Policy Specialist Alternative fuels was the theme of the eighth Future of Gas workshop. Advocates often refer to alternative fuels and decarbonization technologies (like so-called “renewable” natural gas, hydrogen and carbon capture connected to coal plants) as “false solutions” because they fail to truly deliver the clean and affordable promises made by the entities that market them. That’s a fair characterization, but after hearing the presenters during this workshop, I have a new term for this industry: “commodifying pollution.” That phrase probably hints at my bias (but I’ve never claimed to be unbiased). However, I am open to being convinced otherwise. I’ll be all for alternative fuels and carbon mitigation technologies–IF they turn out to be viable, healthy and affordable. In this workshop, we heard from the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI); GTI Energy (formerly known as the Gas Technology Institute); The Roanoke Gas Company; Green Era Chicago and Nicor Gas/Southern Company. EPRI’s presenter gave an analysis of the various pathways to decarbonization via alternative fuels. The presentation was quite dense and cross-referenced. It compared, contrasted and qualified such a wide range of scenarios in such specificity that untangling it would take several pages, so I’ll skip to the takeaway points: “bioenergy” and Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) conceptually are important, but as a decarbonization strategy, their potential is limited. There are cost-usefulness tradeoffs for various types of fuels and technologies depending on the sector and application. GTI Energy’s presentation discussed two alternative fuels: hydrogen and “renewable natural gas,” or RNG. GTI went further than EPRI to say that the benefits of RNG and hydrogen are well known, and that both fuels are tested, ready-made alternatives to methane gas. It’s important to point out that RNG is primarily methane, and in smaller quantities, carbon dioxide. In the same way that advertisers branded methane extracted from the earth as “natural,” they’ve started calling methane that occurs via decomposition of organic matter “renewable.” Likewise, when people in the energy industry refer to hydrogen, they are usually talking about the production of hydrogen, and then using that hydrogen as fuel in a number of industrial, commercial, transportation, and even residential applications. Hydrogen is appealing, at first, because it only exhausts water vapor. Nothing wrong with that, but the important questions for any application of hydrogen are: How is it produced? How efficient is it? Is it cost effective?” As far as I can tell, there aren’t any clear answers to those questions. It’s also not clear which method of production is preferred by the fossil fuel industry. They point out that hydrogen can be produced using renewable energy, but also that it can be produced using nuclear, gas and coal energy. I suppose they estimate that the greenhouse gas emissions from production would be offset by the energy density of the hydrogen used as a fuel. I can’t say whether or not this is true, or in which applications it may or may not be true, but neither can anybody else it seems. As always, I ask you to watch the replay of the workshop, and browse the materials […]

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