Nicor Gas Archives | Citizens Utility Board

CUB Reacts To ICC Making Significant Cut To Nicor Gas Rate Hike

Elizabeth — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 20:34:03 +0000

CUB issued the following statement responding to the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) ruling on Nicor Gas’ rate-hike request: Any heating bill increase is too much for Nicor’s 2.3 million customers, who have been hit with four previous rate hikes in the last eight years – a period when profits for the utility’s parent company have totaled an astronomical $25 billion. It’s beyond troubling that a corporation getting so fat on its own prosperity continues to demand ever greater financial sacrifices from its customers. Against this backdrop, we’re thankful that state regulators responded by derailing Nicor’s bid to raid consumers for costs that were blatantly inflated and unwarranted. In shrinking Nicor’s requested $314 million increase by about half, the ICC’s ruling today exceeds the reduction recommended by two administrative law judges last month by an ample margin and reaffirms the Commission’s commitment to holding utilities accountable for every expense they attempt to charge consumers. With winter heating season in full force, and prices for groceries and health care putting a squeeze on household budgets, conditions for consumers are extremely fragile. We urge state regulators to continue to crack down on profit-mongering by Illinois’ gas utilities so no one is forced to choose between paying for fuel to heat or food to eat. Background: On Nov. 19, 2025, the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) issued a final order in Nicor Gas’ request for a state-record $314.3 million rate hike (Docket #25-0055). The order reduced Nicor’s rate hike by 47 percent, or $146.5 million, making the final increase $167.8 million. Among the proposals in Nicor’s rate-hike request, CUB challenged the utility’s attempt to capture an outrageous 10.35 percent Return on Equity (ROE), or profit rate for shareholders. The ICC’s final order reduced the ROE to 9.6 percent. This is Nicor’s fifth rate hike since 2017. Between 2017 and 2024, the utility has raised delivery rates by 114 percent, totaling $747 million, and its parent, Southern Co., has raked in about $25 billion in profits. Today’s increase adds to the total rate hikes since 2017. This increase impacts delivery rates, which take up about a third to a half of gas bills. It’s what Nicor charges customers to cover the costs of delivering gas to homes—plus a profit. The original rate hike was expected to hit customers with an average bill increase of about 9.28 percent, or about $7.70 per month. The ICC order means bills will still go up, but not as much as Nicor wanted. Warning: Even customers who pay an alternative gas supplier still pay Nicor’s delivery charges. So customers should beware of any sales representative who says they can avoid the rate hike by going with an alternative supplier. All Nicor customers pay these higher rates. Customers having trouble paying their bills should contact their utility to find out about assistance available, and the Help Illinois Families call center, at 1-833-711-0374, to learn more about the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Nicor is Illinois’ largest gas utility, serving 2.3 million residential, public sector and business customers.

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Regulatory judges recommend reducing Nicor rate hike by $100 million, consumer advocates urge regulators to cut further

Elizabeth — Wed, 08 Oct 2025 16:08:29 +0000

A recommendation pending before state regulators would shave a record-setting rate hike proposal now looming over 2.3 million Nicor Gas customers by more than $100 million, or about one-third, but consumer advocates say there is more fat to trim from the prosperous utility’s bid for a bloated increase in heating bills. On Monday, administrative law judges for the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) published an opinion prescribing a $109.8 million reduction in Nicor’s proposed $314.2 million rate hike (Docket No. 25-0055), which the ICC is expected to rule on in late November. While the judge’s opinion, known as a Proposed Order, advises the Commission to cut the whopping increase by about a third, it still would leave consumers saddled with an increase of about $204.4 million at the same time they’re struggling to keep up with spiraling energy prices and rising costs across the board. In fact, under the Proposed Order, Nicor would be entitled to collect its fifth rate hike in eight years, just as consumers are still reeling from a summer when electricity prices skyrocketed. It would also inject another financial windfall into the bulging coffers of Nicor’s corporate parent, Southern Company, which has amassed more than $25 billion in profits since 2017, when the utility’s rate-hike spree started. Consumer advocates, including the Citizens Utility Board (CUB), Illinois PIRG, and the Illinois Attorney General’s office, have urged the ICC to adopt cuts that would slash Nicor’s proposed increase about in half, at least. CUB characterized the Proposed Order as a sizable step in the right direction, but urged the ICC to go far beyond the recommendation and make tens of millions of dollars in additional cuts to Nicor’s proposed increase. “This Proposed Order is a promising step toward holding Nicor accountable, but we hope regulators will see that there’s plenty more room to do justice for consumers by eliminating wasteful spending and a bloated profit rate for shareholders,” said CUB Executive Director Sarah Moskowitz. “Now more than ever, consumers are counting on state regulators to alleviate the burden of relentlessly escalating utility costs, because no one should have to choose between keeping the heat on in the winter and putting food on the table.” Among the largesse that consumer advocates are seeking to eliminate from the rate hike, chief examples include: Excessive profit rate for shareholders. Nicor is pushing to increase its “Return on Equity” (ROE)—or profit rate for shareholders—from about 9.51 percent to 10.35 percent. That would needlessly cost customers $47.4 million a year, CUB argues. To make matters worse, Nicor’s proposal to spread that wealth across more shareholders, increasing its “equity ratio,” would cost another $28.6 million a year. That comes out to a total of $76 million. Lavish executive bonuses. Nicor wants to force customers to pay for bonuses the company gives to executives for reaching financial goals that help enrich shareholders but have absolutely no benefit to customers. This would improperly raise costs for customers by $18.1 million a year, CUB argues. High customer charge. Nicor wants to burden customers with a higher fixed customer charge, raising it from $19.48 to $23.41 a month. That […]

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Enough Is Enough: Nicor Gas Customers to Use State Forum Thursday Night to Speak Out Against Utility’s Push for Record Rate Hike

Elizabeth — Thu, 07 Aug 2025 16:56:36 +0000

Many Nicor Gas customers may not know that their utility is trying to hit them with the largest gas rate hike in Illinois history, but a state public forum Thursday night in Elgin is an opportunity to speak out against the company’s fifth rate-hike request in recent years. The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) is holding a public forum–requested by AARP Illinois–on Nicor Gas’ request for an unprecedented $316.5 million rate increase – 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 7 (TONIGHT) at Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin, IL 60120. Utility watchdogs have warned the proposal would raid consumers for at least double the amount Nicor can request within the boundaries of state law. Please note: The Citizens Utility Board (CUB), Illinois PIRG and AARP Illinois will be available for interviews in advance and on-site in both English and Spanish. At least part of the forum will be live-streamed from the Facebook pages of AARP (facebook.com/AARPIllinois), PIRG (facebook.com/ILPIRG) and CUB (facebook.com/cubillinois). Those who can’t make the forum can join hundreds of people who have signed a CUB petition or filed a public comment with the ICC against Nicor’s rate-hike request. Nicor embarked on its quest to obtain a record-high rate hike for an Illinois gas utility in January of this year, and the tally has only expanded since then, from about $309 million to $316.5 million (Docket No. 25-0055). Nicor customers have expressed frustration at the company’s serial rate hikes: This would be Nicor’s fifth since 2017. In that same time period—from 2017 to 2024—the utility has raised delivery rates by 114 percent, totaling $747 million, and its parent, Southern Co., has made $25.2 billion in profits. “Northern Illinoisans have told us that they oppose the proposed increase from Nicor,” said Al Hollenbeck, Volunteer State President of AARP Illinois. “This hike, on top of several other utility hikes in recent years, disproportionately affects older adults on fixed incomes, who are already struggling to keep up with the ever-growing cost of living in the state. They simply cannot afford higher gas bills and AARP is committed to advocating on their behalf against this proposed rate hike.” “Nicor customers are tired of their gas utility treating them like an ATM,” said Mardi Klevs, a Nicor customer and volunteer board member for CUB. “This record rate hike is full of waste and excess, including an exorbitant profit rate for Nicor shareholders as well as extravagant executive bonuses. We need customers to tell state regulators loud and clear: Enough is enough.” The Illinois Attorney General’s Office and consumer advocates such as the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) and Illinois PIRG have argued that Nicor’s rate-hike request is unjust and unreasonable. Together, advocates have uncovered more than $150 million in overcharges, and say Nicor’s request is at least double what the utility can possibly justify under the law. A few problems advocates have identified: Excessive profit rate for shareholders. Nicor is pushing to increase its “Return on Equity” (ROE)—or profit rate for shareholders—from about 9.51 percent to 10.35 percent. That would needlessly cost customers $47.4 million a year, CUB argues. To make matters worse, Nicor’s proposal […]

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Public Forum to Allow Frustrated Nicor Gas Customers, Consumer Advocates to Protest Utility’s Attempt to Impose Record Rate Hike

Elizabeth — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 18:59:39 +0000

As Illinois regulators prepare to hold a public forum on Nicor Gas’ attempt to win its fifth rate hike in less than a decade–a $308.6 million request that would be the highest gas increase in Illinois history–consumer advocates say the customers of Illinois’ largest gas utility are frustrated and exhausted by the serial rate hikes. The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) is holding a public forum on Nicor Gas’ rate-hike request from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday, June 9, at the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park & Theater, 201 W. Jefferson at Bluff St, Joliet, IL 60432. In January 2025, Nicor filed for a $308.6 million increase (Docket No. 25-0055)–what would be a record gas rate hike hitting Illinois consumers this winter. This is Nicor’s fifth rate-hike request since 2017. Since then, the utility has raised delivery rates by 114 percent, totaling $747 million, and its parent, Southern Co., has raked in $25.2 billion in profits. Heading into the public forum, advocates pointed to growing customer dissatisfaction, including hundreds of petition signatures and ICC public comments people have filed against Nicor’s rate-hike request. “Northern Illinoisans have told us that they oppose the proposed increase from Nicor,” said Al Hollenbeck, Volunteer State President of AARP Illinois. “This hike, on top of several other utility hikes in recent years, disproportionately affects older adults on fixed incomes, who are already struggling to keep up with the ever-growing cost of living in the state. They simply cannot afford higher gas bills and AARP is committed to advocating on their behalf against this proposed rate hike.” “Nicor Gas customers have endured serial rate hikes from the state’s largest gas utility–and they are fed up,” said Mardi Klevs, a Nicor customer and volunteer board member for the Citizens Utility Board (CUB). “In the latest money-grab–the company’s fifth rate-hike request in less than a decade–customers can see Nicor is trying to make them pay for an excessive profit rate for shareholders as well as extravagant executive bonuses, and they’re telling us ‘Enough is enough!’” The Illinois Attorney General’s Office and consumer advocates such as AARP Illinois, Illinois PIRG and the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) have argued that Nicor’s rate-hike request is unjust and unreasonable. Together, consumer advocates say the request is more than double what the company can justify under the law. They have uncovered more than $150 million in overcharges, including excessive executive bonuses and an exorbitant profit rate for their shareholders The ICC will issue a final ruling on Nicor’s rate-hike request in November. If approved, Nicor’s rate hike would increase average gas bills by about 9 percent, or about $7.50 a month/$90 a year, and push the utility’s total increases to more than $1 billion in less than a decade.

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CUB Statement on Nicor Gas’ Proposed $309 Million Rate Hike

Elizabeth — Tue, 07 Jan 2025 17:56:13 +0000

Nicor Gas’ campaign for a state-record rate hike of about $308.6 million–which is closer to $325 million when including taxes–is unjustified, and CUB will fight it. Illinois’ largest gas utility has now asked for five brutal rate hikes in less than a decade, causing hardship for customers by increasing gas delivery charges by a staggering $724 million since 2018 and helping the utility’s parent company roll in outrageous profits. Heat is a human necessity, not a profit tool–but Nicor’s push for a ridiculous 10.35 percent Return on Equity (ROE), or profit rate for shareholders, exposes this rate-hike request for what it is: A money-grab meant to benefit shareholders to the detriment of customers who just want to keep their homes warm in an Illinois winter. CUB will challenge this unfair rate hike–we urge state regulators to slash Nicor’s reckless spending and hold the company accountable. Gas is unsustainably expensive and it threatens our health and climate. State officials must begin to plan for the long-term transition away from gas to heating alternatives that are cheaper, safer and more reliable. – CUB Executive Director Sarah Moskowitz (pdf version of CUB’s statement) Background: On Friday, Jan. 3, Nicor Gas asked for a rate hike of about $308.6 million (Docket No. 25-0055), which is actually closer to $325 million when accounting for taxes. Nicor told the Chicago Tribune that a typical Chicago-area residential customer will pay about $7.50 per month more on delivery charges, under the proposed increase, raising the total bill by more than 9 percent. The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) will rule on the request after an 11-month rate case. Sign CUB’s petition and file a public comment with the ICC opposing Nicor’s rate hike. Nicor’s rate-hike request includes a 10.35 percent Return on Equity (ROE), or profit rate for shareholders. The company also is asking for 54.595 percent in common equity for their capital structure. This increase impacts delivery rates, which take up about a third to a half of gas bills. It’s what Nicor charges customers to cover the costs of delivering gas to homes—plus a profit. According to a Nicor filing, the hike would increase the customer charge by about 20 percent, to $23.41 per month, and the per-therm distribution charge by about 26 percent, to 26.84 cents per therm. This is the fifth significant rate hike Nicor has requested since 2017. The company initially asked for about $208 million in 2017, about $230 million in 2018, about $293 million in 2021 and about $320 million in 2023. Those were believed to be record requests at the time, before Peoples Gas asked for an increase of more than $400 million and received about $303 million in 2023. Nicor has received a total of about $724 million in rate hikes since 2018: $93 million in 2018, $168 million in 2019; $240 million in 2021 and $223 million in 2023. The $308 million increase, if approved, would be the largest gas hike in Illinois history. Warning: Even customers who pay an alternative gas supplier still pay Nicor’s delivery charges. So customers should beware of any sales representative who says they […]

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Buried in $493M in overdue bills: ICC database shows urgency of Illinois reining in big utilities

Elizabeth — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 21:57:43 +0000

In one month alone, major electric, gas and water utilities in Illinois reported that more than 1.3 million of their customers were buried in $493.6 million in debt, according to April numbers the companies were required to file with the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC). “A lot has changed over the past 40 years, but one thing stays the same: Utility greed,” CUB Executive Director Sarah Moskowitz said. “These numbers show the urgency of fighting reckless utility spending.” Last year, Ameren Illinois, ComEd, Nicor Gas, North Shore Gas and Peoples Gas slammed their customers with a record $2.9 billion in rate-hike requests. Consumer advocates helped push back $1.6 billion in higher rates. But the utilities still secured rate hikes, and in 2024, CUB’s team is battling about $172 million in additional rate hikes proposed by water utilities. In addition to staffing a hotline (1-800-669-5556) to take consumer complaints about utility bills (see story below) and holding hundreds of free events to show people how to cut costs, CUB is fighting utilities on several fronts: CUB is challenging the Aqua Illinois ($19.2 million) and Illinois American Water ($152.4 million) rate-hike requests. The ICC rejected ComEd and Ameren plans to upgrade the power grid—for failing to show how they would be cost-effective. Now, CUB is reviewing the new plans to challenge excessive spending. CUB also is fighting excessive spending by gas utilities, as a new report predicts a possible catastrophe for our future gas bills. CUB is pushing reforms in Springfield: The “Water Affordability and Accountability Act,” for example, would help reduce water bills by eliminating the “QIP” surcharge. Also, the “Utility Affordability Act” would stop utilities from charging customers for certain self-serving expenses, including the costs of outside lawyers utilities hire when they push for rate hikes. What can you do? Sign CUB’s petition against the Aqua hike, and file a public comment with the ICC. Sign CUB’s petition against the Illinois American hike, and file a public comment with the ICC. Sign CUB’s petition against excessive electric-utility spending. Sign CUB’s petition against excessive gas-utility spending.

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February continues trend of lower gas prices–but they’re still higher than 2021

Elizabeth — Tue, 24 Jan 2023 16:09:44 +0000

Some good news: Gas prices for February continue the downward trend we’ve been seeing the last few months. Plus, recently the Energy Information Administration, the statistical arm of the U.S. Energy Department, eased its prediction on how much more Midwest natural gas customers could pay on average this winter–from 29 percent to 16 percent. (16 percent is still high, so we hope this number continues to fall.) Gas utilities file supply prices–called the Purchased Gas Adjustment (PGA)–each month with the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC). Gas prices are down anywhere from 3 percent to 25 percent from the prices in January. The largest gas utility in the state, Nicor Gas, is charging a price that is 15 percent lower than in January and 31 percent lower than in December. Ameren Illinois’ price was down about 7 percent from last month. But the prices are still higher than February of 2021, by a range of 17 percent to 160 percent. Below are the supply prices for February 2023, and how they compare with the prices from last year. February Gas Prices Ameren Illinois–61.377 cents per therm (down about 12 percent from February 2022)Consumers Gas–57.419 cents per therm (up about 17 percent from February 2022)Illinois Gas–44.40 cents per therm (down about 32 percent from February 2022)Liberty Utilities–63.05 cents per therm (down about 37 percent from February 2022)MidAmerican Energy–73.12 cents per therm (down about 28 percent from February 2022)Mt. Carmel–73.44 cents per therm (up about 69 percent from February 2022)Nicor Gas–59.00 cents per therm (up about 7 percent from February 2022)North Shore Gas–45.01 cents per therm (down about 24 percent from February 2022)Peoples Gas–42.27 cents per therm (down about 29 percent from February 2022) 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 ensure the companies did a reasonable job with their gas purchases, given market conditions, to hold down costs for consumers as much as possible. A review of important info about gas prices Gas supply price spikes are a recurring theme in the fossil fuel industry–there was a jump in prices in the winter of 2008-09, and in 2014. The latest spike was first caused by extreme weather in February of 2021. Record cold in the southern United States for a time froze gas in wellheads and pipelines, limiting supply just as demand went up. Since then, the high prices have been propped up by other developments, including Hurricane Ida in the summer of 2021 and the Russian invasion of Ukraine last year, which have combined to cause ongoing pain for Illinois consumers. The elevated gas prices have also caused electricity prices to skyrocket–because gas is often used to generate electricity. (Read our Q&A on high natural gas bills.) But the gas utilities hide behind supply and demand excuses. There’s more to this story in Illinois: Aggressive spending and big rate hikes by Peoples Gas, Nicor Gas and […]

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January gas prices still way up–will we see some relief in 2023?

Jim Chilsen — Tue, 03 Jan 2023 16:26:33 +0000

Natural gas supply prices dropped for about half of Illinois’ major gas utilities from December to January, but the prices are still at significantly high levels for the second consecutive winter. “We’re hoping that sometime in the new year we’ll see these price spikes ease for all customers, but the natural gas market is volatile,” said Jim Chilsen, CUB director of communications. “For now, your best weapon against these high prices is energy efficiency. It’s our second consecutive winter of painfully high prices, and it’s just another indicator that we urgently need to transition away from natural gas as an energy source.” Last winter was the most expensive cold season since 2008-09 for the 80 percent of Illinois households that heat with natural gas– many homes paid hundreds of dollars more for gas. The Energy Information Administration, the statistical arm of the U.S. Energy Department, predicts Midwest natural gas customers could pay on average about 29 percent more this winter. Gas utilities file new supply prices–called the Purchased Gas Adjustment (PGA)–each month with the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC). There is some hopeful news: The largest gas utility in the state, Nicor Gas, continued a downward trend, with a price that is 19 percent lower than in December and 40 percent lower than in November. Ameren Illinois’ price was down about 10 percent from last month, and three other utilities are also charging lower prices than a month ago. But Peoples Gas, North Shore Gas, MidAmerican and Consumers Gas all saw increases from December by a range of about 3 percent to 44 percent. Plus, unfortunately, seven out of nine major utilities are charging higher prices than last January, and all are charging prices that are higher by a whopping range of about 68 percent to 205 percent from just two years ago. Below are the supply prices for January 2023, and how they compare with the prices from last year. January Gas Prices Ameren Illinois–66.171 cents per therm (down about 6 percent from January 2022)Consumers Gas–71.3405 cents per therm (up about 52 percent from January 2022)Illinois Gas–59.44 cents per therm (up about 33 percent from January 2022)Liberty Utilities–70.36 cents per therm (up about 19 percent from January 2022)MidAmerican Energy–75.03 cents per therm (down about 23 percent from January 2022)Mt. Carmel–89.13 cents per therm (up about 45 percent from January 2022)Nicor Gas–69.00 cents per therm (up about 13 percent from January 2022)North Shore Gas–66.01 cents per therm (down about 18 percent from January 2022)Peoples Gas–57 cents per therm (up about 3 percent from January 2022) 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 (and CUB) annually review the utilities’ gas-management procedures to ensure the companies did a reasonable job with their gas purchases, given market conditions, to hold down costs for consumers as much as possible. A Review of Important Info about Gas Prices Gas supply price spikes are a recurring theme in the fossil fuel industry–there was a jump in prices in the […]

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Q&A: High natural gas bills in Illinois

Jim Chilsen — Sun, 01 Jan 2023 11:00:12 +0000

Natural gas bills are at their highest level in years, and the two major reasons are: overly aggressive spending by gas utilities and skyrocketing supply prices. Read our Q&A to get the details. How expensive has this been for consumers? People in Illinois who heat their homes with natural gas (about 80 percent of households) paid hundreds of dollars more in the winter of 2021-22, compared with the previous winter. It was the most expensive cold season since 2008-09. This winter could be worse, as prices continue to be elevated for the 2022-23 winter heating season. Why are we seeing high bills? Consumers are getting hit with a “double-whammy”–higher than average charges on both the supply and delivery sides of gas bills. Aggressive utility spending on the delivery side of bills. In recent years, utilities have launched aggressive spending programs that have increased the delivery charges on our bills. That’s what we pay the utility to deliver gas to our homes–plus a profit for the company. In previous years, when gas prices were lower, the impact of utility spending wasn’t as noticeable on our bills. That changed in 2021. Spiking natural gas supply prices. Natural gas prices go through periodic price spikes, and this one was sparked by an extreme cold snap that brought record-low temperatures across the nation in February of 2021. The extreme weather, which has been attributed to climate change, froze natural gas in pipelines and wellheads in Texas and other areas of the South, limiting supply across the country just as heating demand was shooting up. The limited supply coupled with high demand sent prices soaring. Since then, other factors have helped keep prices elevated, including: 1) increased demand as economies recovered from the pandemic; 2) increased Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) exports to other parts of the world, such as Europe, keeping supply lower here; 3) less gas exploration and well construction in recent years because the gas industry didn’t see those efforts as profitable; 4) increased demand for natural gas to generate electricity during warmer summers; 5) disruptions in gas supply caused by Russia, a major oil and gas producer, invading Ukraine; and 6) Hurricane Ida in the summer of 2021 knocked more than 90 percent of gas production in the Gulf of Mexico offline, according to the Energy Information Administration. “The boom-bust cycle of this fossil fuel is making consumers pay,” CUB Director of Governmental Affairs Bryan McDaniel said. Why are gas utilities increasing delivery charges on bills? Major Illinois utilities–Ameren Illinois, Nicor Gas and Peoples Gas–successfully pushed for legislation in 2013 that allowed them to add the “Qualified Infrastructure Plant” surcharge to bills to help them bring in revenue more quickly and easily than through a traditional 11-month rate case. Crain’s Chicago Business reported that Peoples Gas, the utility for Chicagoans, has collected more than $600 million in surcharges since 2016–and the QIP charge had ballooned to about $15 every month for the average household. “So many people in the city are having trouble paying their bills as it is,” CUB Executive Director David Kolata told Crain’s. “This is a reckoning that was just waiting to […]

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December natural gas prices fall for many utilities–although they’re still painfully high

Elizabeth — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 20:21:15 +0000

For the second straight month, natural gas prices have dropped for all or most of Illinois’ utilities. But most gas customers are still paying about double or worse than they did just two years ago for the volatile fossil fuel. “Nobody has a crystal ball, but we’re thankful for this small drop in prices,” CUB Communications Director Jim Chilsen said. “Still, despite these recent declines, the natural gas market is volatile, and it’s likely to be an expensive winter. Consumers should concentrate on making their homes as energy efficient as possible.” “And as consumer advocates, we need to keep working for reforms, including beginning the process to move away from an expensive fuel like natural gas.” About 80 percent of Illinois homes heat with natural gas, and last winter was their most expensive since the cold season of 2008-09, with many customers paying hundreds of dollars more to heat their homes. This winter could be worse. The Energy Information Administration, the statistical arm of the U.S. Energy Department, predicts Midwest consumers who heat their homes with natural gas will pay on average about 30 percent more this winter. Gas utilities file new supply prices– called the Purchased Gas Adjustment (PGA)– each month with the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC). Below are the supply prices for December, and how they compare with the prices from last year. December Gas Prices Ameren Illinois 73.14 cents per therm (up about 5 percent from December 2021) Consumers Gas 67.81 cents per therm (down about 0.5 percent from last December) Illinois Gas 70.14 cents per therm (up about 43 percent from last December) Liberty Utilities 76.57 cents per therm (up about 27 percent from last December) MidAmerican Energy 61.77 cents per therm (down about 26 percent from last December) Mt. Carmel 89.94 cents per therm (up about 13 percent from last December) Nicor Gas 85.00 cents per therm (up about 25 percent from last December) North Shore Gas 45.80 cents per therm (down about 25 percent from last December) Peoples Gas 55.27 cents per therm (down about 19 percent from last December) Note: Your utility is determined by where you live, so you cannot switch from one utility to another. From October to November, all major utility customers saw a drop in the price they pay for natural gas. In December, seven out of the 9 major utilities saw decreases from the previous month. That included North Shore Gas (37 percent), Nicor (25 percent), Peoples Gas (22 percent) and Ameren (9 percent). Only Consumers Gas (8 percent) and Liberty (0.9 percent) saw increases in their prices from November. The average price charged by all 9 major Illinois utilities has gone from about $1 a therm in October to about 69.5 cents a therm this month–still more than double the average price from December 2020. But the natural gas market is a roller coaster ride. Peoples Gas said its 55.27 cents per therm supply rate isn’t likely to last. “Based on current information, we expect gas charges for January and February to be similar to what we saw in November, in the 70s in cents per therm,” a Peoples Gas spokesman told Crain’s Chicago […]

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