Electric rates Archives | Citizens Utility Board

New ComEd Electricity Price Still Elevated, But CUB Warns Consumers to Beware of Bad Alternative Supplier Deals

Elizabeth — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 16:21:47 +0000

After an expensive summer, Commonwealth Edison’s new supply price has dropped slightly but is still about 47 percent higher than last year, the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) said Wednesday. Even though ComEd’s price is elevated, the watchdog urged consumers to review the “Supply” section of their bills to confirm they are not overpaying with an expensive alternative supplier offer, including offers negotiated by local governments. ComEd’s new non-summer power price (from October 2025 through May 2026): 9.689¢ per kilowatt-hour (kWh) (Appears as 0.09689 on bills.) The price above includes the supply price plus a transmission charge. While ComEd’s price is down slightly from what it was this past summer (about 10.03¢ per kWh), it’s still up about 47 percent from what it was last October. Overall, ComEd has estimated the price increase will cost customers an average of 10-15 percent, or $10.60, more per month—but the impact can be much higher for individual customers, depending on factors such as weather. In northern Illinois, consumers can choose to stay with ComEd for supply or go with an alternative supplier. Among the choices in the market, many communities have “municipal aggregation” offers that local leaders have negotiated with an alternative supplier. Even with the elevated ComEd price, CUB warned customers of bad alternative supplier deals and stressed that it is likely ComEd is the best bet for supply. A CUB review of state electricity choice reports revealed Illinois consumers have lost more than $2 billion to alternative suppliers over the last decade. “ComEd’s price is painfully high, but customers should beware of bad deals peddled by alternative suppliers,” CUB Executive Director Sarah Moskowitz said. “Even in this market it is likely that ComEd is your best bet for supply.” The ComEd price spike is connected to an increase in the price for reserve power, also called “capacity.” CUB argues that capacity costs have skyrocketed largely because of increased energy demand from data centers and policy problems with the power grid operator for northern Illinois, PJM Interconnection, which runs an auction to determine the price of capacity. Among other things, the grid operator takes far too long to connect new power sources—wind, solar and battery projects—to the grid so they can help lower prices, CUB argues. Moskowitz said there is an urgent need for continued reforms at PJM, but also for Illinois to pass the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability (CRGA) Act in the General Assembly’s Fall Veto Session. The act is comprehensive energy legislation that would, among other things, expand energy efficiency programs and bring more battery storage to the grid–improvements essential to lowering power prices. “Illinois must pass the CRGA Act to avoid painful price spikes well into the future,” Moskowitz said. CUB provided additional tips: How do I know if I’m with an alternative supplier? If you’re with an alternative supplier, you will still get a bill from ComEd, with the alternative supplier charges included. To see if you’re with another supplier and what per kWh rate you’re paying, look in the “Supply” sections of your ComEd bill. If a company other than ComEd is listed, you are with an alternative supplier. If […]

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CUB Alerts Ameren Illinois Customers: Utility’s Price for Electricity has Dropped 31 Percent as of October 1st

Elizabeth — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 16:11:35 +0000

After a hot, expensive summer, Ameren Illinois’ new price for electricity has dropped by more than 30 percent as of Oct. 1, the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) said in a consumer alert Wednesday. The watchdog urged consumers to review the “Electric Supply” section of their bills to confirm they are not overpaying with an expensive alternative supplier offer, including supplier offers negotiated by local governments. Ameren’s new non-summer power price (from October 2025 through May 2026): 8.402¢ per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for up to 800 kWh of usage. (Appears as 0.08402 on your bill.) 7.483¢ per kWh for electricity usage beyond 800 kWh. (Appears as 0.07483 on your bill.) The prices above include the supply price + a transmission charge + a supply cost adjustment. The fall supply price of 8.402¢ per kWh (for the first 800 kWh of usage) represents a 31 percent reduction from the utility’s summer supply price of 12.18¢ per kWh, and is around what Ameren’s supply price was before the summer spike. “CUB is relieved that Ameren’s price has dropped significantly,” CUB Executive Director Sarah Moskowitz said. “But we remain deeply concerned that far too many people could be paying much higher prices because they are with an alternative supplier—and that includes people on their community’s ‘municipal aggregation’ offer. Please check the supply section of your bills to see if you’re paying a higher rate with a company other than Ameren.” Consumers can choose to stay with Ameren Illinois for supply or go with an alternative supplier. Among the choices in the market, many communities have “municipal aggregation” offers that local leaders have negotiated with an alternative supplier. Moskowitz stressed: It is likely Ameren is your best bet for electricity supply. A recent CUB review of state electricity choice reports revealed that Illinois consumers have lost more than $2 billion to alternative electricity suppliers over the last decade. If you go with an alternative supplier, you still get a bill from Ameren, with the alternative supplier charges included. To see if you’re with another supplier, look in two places on Ameren bills: “Electric Supply” and “Details From Your Electric Supplier.” If a company other than Ameren Illinois is listed, you are with an alternative supplier. In the “Electric Supply” section, you should be able to see the per kWh price you’re paying with that supplier. See how it compares with the Ameren supply price CUB lists above. If you want to end the offer, call the alternative supplier using the phone number for the company that is listed in the “Details From Your Electric Supplier” section. It can take up to two months to switch back to your utility. If you think you were fraudulently signed up, tell the supplier you want a refund. If you don’t like the supplier’s response, file a complaint with CUB, at 1-800-669-5556. Additional information and tips are below. What part of the bill is impacted by this change? Supply, which is the cost of the actual electricity. This makes […]

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Amid 50% Increase in Ameren’s Power Price, CUB Calls on Utility to Work With Customers to Keep Them Safe, Cool, Connected This Summer

Elizabeth — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 14:43:56 +0000

As Ameren Illinois customers face a 50 percent increase in the price of power, the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) on Wednesday called for the utility to work with people struggling to afford their bills this summer so they can keep their electricity on and protect themselves from dangerous heat. “This will be a difficult summer for far too many customers,” CUB Executive Director Sarah Moskowitz said. “In this expensive summer, we urge Ameren to do everything possible to work with customers so they can stay connected and keep their homes safe and cool.” She called for Ameren to offer consumer-friendly payment plans that give customers a longer time to pay off their debt. Ameren’s summer “price to compare”— the rate customers should compare with alternative supplier offers—is: 12.18 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) from June through September. Note: This rate includes the supply price, a transmission charge and a “supply cost adjustment.” The increase impacts the supply section, which makes up about a half to two-thirds of bills. Ameren doesn’t profit off supply—they pass those costs onto customers with no markup. The non-summer supply rate has yet to be finalized, but Ameren estimates the price will decrease to roughly 8 cents to 9 cents per kWh on Oct. 1. Ameren has estimated the increase will cost customers an average of 18 to 22 percent, or about $38 to $46 more per month over the summer. The spike is connected to an increase in the price for reserve power, also called “capacity.” CUB argues that capacity costs have skyrocketed largely because of policy problems with the power grid operator for central and southern Illinois, the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, or MISO, which runs an auction that determines the capacity price. CUB has tips to help Illinois consumers get through the expensive summer at CUBHelpCenter.com, including: Use energy efficiency to soften the blow of the price spike. Simple actions can help, such as weatherizing windows and doors and turning off unnecessary lights. Don’t take risks that keep your home too hot. Efficiency is about eliminating waste but staying safe and cool this summer. Stay in contact with your utility. Consumers who are struggling should contact Ameren to inquire about payment plans and learn about energy efficiency programs. Consider programs to help ease costs. Ameren’s Peak Time Rewards program gives customers the opportunity to earn bill credits by reducing electricity usage during high-demand periods, typically summer afternoons. Also, Illinois’ community solar program offers customers the benefits of solar power without having to install panels on their homes. All offers currently guarantee savings compared to Ameren’s supply price. CUB’s resource, SolarInTheCommunity.com, can help you carefully shop for offers. Beware of rip-offs. Since 2015, Illinois consumers have lost about $1.8 billion to alternative electricity suppliers. These suppliers are impacted by the same market conditions that are causing utility prices to increase, so it’s likely, even in this expensive market, that Ameren is your best bet. One exception: If your community has negotiated a power deal with a supplier, it’s possible the price is lower than Ameren’s supply rate. Confirm the price and find out when the […]

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ICC’s ruling sets stage for “time-of-use” rate, another good choice for consumers

Elizabeth — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 21:33:23 +0000

Next year, ComEd customers will have the option of signing up for a “time-of-use” rate, or TOU, that can help them save money while reducing strain on the power system. The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), which CUB supported, required ComEd to offer such a rate, and under a January ruling (Docket No. 24-0378) by the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC), ComEd will launch the TOU in 2026. There are still a lot of details that need to be worked out, but CUB hopes this Q&A gives you an introduction: What is a time-of-use (TOU) rate? Under traditional electric rates, customers pay the same amount per kilowatt-hour, regardless of when they use their electricity. While this approach is straightforward, it is a far-from-accurate method of assigning costs, and many people end up paying more than they should. A TOU rate, on the other hand, breaks the day into set periods, with each period charging customers a different rate for electricity. Overnight, when demand is the lowest, the price is much lower than the standard rate customers ordinarily pay. The hours that tend to have the highest demand–In Illinois, that’s the late afternoon and early evening–will cost the most. The rest of the day, the rate is higher than overnight but still lower than the standard rate. So if you avoid using too much during the peak hours, you save money, and whatever you can shift to overnight is especially low-cost. TOU rates fall under the umbrella of “demand response” programs. The idea is to give people a financial incentive–a lower rate for electricity–to shift the bulk of their usage away from high-demand times. Shifting electric demand away from peak hours has several financial and environmental benefits. What part of the bill does a TOU rate impact? Your bill is generally divided into two sections: supply rates (what we pay for the actual electricity) and delivery (what we pay the utility to deliver electricity to us). TOU rates can cover supply, delivery or both. In recent years, ComEd did offer a pilot program–from 2020 to 2024– with a TOU supply rate. (Canary Media reports that the pilot program reduced peak demand between 6.5 percent and 9.7 percent in the summer.) In January, state regulators approved a TOU rate that would only apply to the delivery side of bills–but ComEd wants to offer a combined delivery and supply TOU rate option as well. (More on this below.) Why do people like TOU rates? People are attracted to the idea that relatively easy shifts in their electricity usage can help them lower their utility bills. Also, reducing peak demand on the grid lowers energy prices for everyone in the long run. TOU rates also are good for the environment: Lowering demand helps the grid avoid having to run its most expensive and dirtiest gas and coal plants. Combined with other measures, TOU rates can help delay or avoid altogether the need to build more pricey power plants or replace or upgrade electric grid equipment. How will ComEd’s proposed TOU rate work? Canary Media reported that most standard customers are set to pay an […]

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New electric rates for ComEd and Ameren customers in 2025

Jim Chilsen — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 14:50:25 +0000

In December 2024, the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) granted a $606 million hike in delivery rates for ComEd and a $309 million increase for Ameren. The rulings were a step in the right direction in that they cut hundreds of millions of dollars in wasteful spending proposed by both utilities, reduced the rate hikes and did not allow increases in the companies’ profit rate for shareholders. But, of course, too many people are having a hard time affording their bills–we’ve got more work to do as consumer advocates. Below is our breakdown of ComEd and Ameren electric delivery rates and supply prices for 2025. (You can also see the rates in our Making Sense of Your Electric Bill fact sheet.) DELIVERY RATES What are delivery rates? Electric bills have delivery and supply sections. All of us pay delivery rates to cover the utilities’ costs of sending electricity over their wires to our homes–plus a profit for the companies. Those charges take up about a third to a half of the electric bill. For a decade, Illinois set electric delivery rates for ComEd and Ameren according to the state’s 2011 “Energy Infrastructure and Modernization Act.” The law, which CUB opposed, used a formula to determine delivery rates, opened the door to about $1 billion in rate hikes and was at the heart of the ComEd corruption scandal. But the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) launched a new system to set rates under four-year rate plans, and that has given state regulators more authority to limit rate hikes. But there’s still more work to do. Under a provision in Illinois utility law that CUB opposes, if ComEd and Ameren don’t make the profit level that was set in the previous rate case, they are given extra money to make up the difference. (And if the utilities do better than planned, they have to reimburse customers.) This has been an unfair advantage for the utilities. In 2024, this “reconciliation” proceeding led to an extra $259 million being added to ComEd rates. As the Chicago Tribune editorialized: “One of the most obnoxious aspects of utility regulation in Illinois is that when rates are set for ComEd and downstate electricity utility Ameren Illinois, the companies are all but guaranteed a certain profit level.” So what are we paying for delivery rates in 2025? CUB dived into the tariffs and here’s what we found. These rates reflect the delivery rate hikes that Ameren and ComEd received on Jan. 1. Ameren: Meter Charge: $5.32/month (formerly $5.06/month) Note: Covers meter-related services, such as installing, maintaining and testing meter equipment. Monthly Customer Charge: $8.72/month (formerly $9.10/month) Note: Helps cover the utility’s administrative costs of doing business, such as billing, postage and customer assistance. EDT Cost Recovery Charge: 0.12550¢/kWh (formerly 0.12531¢/kWh) Note: This charge recovers the Illinois Electricity Distribution Tax and is the same for all customer classes. Distribution Delivery Charge Summer: 7.477¢/kWh (formerly 6.808¢/kWh). Distribution Delivery Charge Non-Summer: 4.376¢/kWh for the first 800 kWh used (formerly 3.985¢/kWh) 2.324¢/kWh for usage over 800 kWh (formerly 2.115¢/kWh) Note: The Distribution Delivery Charge covers the costs of maintaining equipment/wires and other costs […]

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CUB Urges ICC to Cut Ameren Rate-Hike Request

Elizabeth — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 15:04:29 +0000

The Citizens Utility Board (CUB) pushed back on a recommendation by state regulatory judges that the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) grant Ameren Illinois an electric rate hike of $315 million, saying the judges had overlooked key examples of overspending by the utility. The Proposed Order, submitted on Oct. 8 by three ICC Administrative Law Judges, granted the utility more than 90 percent of the $334 million Ameren had requested. On Tuesday, CUB planned to file a brief asking the ICC to take a stronger stance to protect customers from unnecessary Ameren spending. “The Proposed Order is disappointing, given the fact that CUB had identified roughly $100 million in overcharges in the utility’s original request,” CUB Executive Director Sarah Moskowitz said. “We urge the five-member ICC to hold Ameren accountable, remove wasteful spending and slash Ameren’s rate hike.” Take action: Sign CUB’s petition against reckless electric utility spending. File a public comment with the ICC. The ICC is scheduled to make a final ruling on the case (Docket 24-0238) before the end of the year. The five commissioners can follow the proposed order or adjust the rate hike up or down, as they see fit. This is the latest development in a dramatic series of events dating back to last December, when the ICC slashed the company’s proposed rate-hike request and rejected the utility’s plan for updating the power grid. Commissioners said Ameren had failed to prove that the plan would be affordable for consumers. Earlier this year, Ameren refiled its grid plan as well as a multi-year plan for raising rates. After some adjustments over the course of the case, Ameren is now proposing to raise rates by $334 million through 2027. In August, CUB filed testimony identifying about $100 million in overcharges in Ameren’s proposed rate hike. CUB identified hundreds of millions of dollars in wasteful or improper spending proposed by Ameren, with a portion to be recovered through the current rate-hike request, and the rest recovered over decades to come. A summary of key parts of CUB’s testimony: The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) requires a showing of cost-effectiveness for each project included in Ameren’s grid plan. But Ameren only applied cost-benefit analysis to projects representing roughly one-fifth of total costs, CUB argued. The watchdog proposed to require Ameren to calculate benefits for every project it can and compare that to costs. Projects would only be approved if benefits exceed costs, or if they’re strictly legally or practically required. CEJA requires that delivery service rates be affordable. But Ameren misled about its huge rate-hike request by comparing delivery service rate increases to total electric bills, or even total household energy costs (including volatile heating gas costs). CUB argued that by dividing the relevant number by a larger category of costs, the utility made its proposed rate hike look smaller than it actually was and tried to skirt CEJA. CUB proposed that the ICC compare apples to apples and, if delivery service rates under the proposed grid plans would grow too fast relative to forecasted inflation, decrease Ameren’s rate hike accordingly to slow the rate of spending. CUB urged regulators to make utility shareholders, not customers, foot Ameren’s […]

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So what am I paying to heat my home in 2024?

Jim Chilsen — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 00:02:52 +0000

The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) issued rulings last November that reduced record rate hikes proposed by Illinois’ major gas utilities by $240 million. As a result of those rulings, Illinois’ major gas utilities are charging new delivery rates in 2024. Read our breakdown below, and check out our Q&A on the gas rulings. (Read a similar breakdown for electric customers.) DELIVERY RATES What are delivery rates? Gas bills have major parts: delivery and supply. All of us pay delivery rates to cover the utilities’ costs of sending gas through their pipes to our homes–plus a profit for the companies. Those charges take up about a third to a half of bas bills. So what are we paying for delivery rates in 2024? These rates reflect the delivery rate hikes that Ameren Illinois, Nicor Gas and Peoples Gas received in an Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) ruling in November of 2023. (North Shore Gas also got a rate hike, but they have yet to file their new tariffs, as they are disputing part of the Illinois Commerce Commission ruling requiring the company to change the way they bill customers.) Monthly Customer Charge This fixed monthly fee helps cover the utility’s administrative costs of doing business, such as billing, postage and customer assistance. Below is the fee for each utility and how it changed from the previous charge. CUB opposes high fixed fees because they are punitive on customers. People are forced to pay the same fee each month, even if they are working hard to be more energy efficient. Ameren Illinois: $20.89 (UP from $19.43) Nicor Gas: $18.88 (DOWN from $23.30) Peoples Gas: $27.36 (DOWN from $33.43) North Shore Gas: $21.11 (Previously 79.309¢ per day, or roughly $24 per month in a 30-day month) Distribution Charge This per-therm charge helps to cover the costs of maintaining equipment/pipes and other costs not recovered through the customer charge. We never like to see this fee go up, but because it’s based on usage, customers can reduce the impact of this charge by practicing energy efficiency. Ameren Illinois: 43.776 cents (UP from 31.935 cents) Nicor Gas: 21.34 cents (UP from 10.67 cents) Peoples Gas: 46.524 cents (UP from 19.477 cents) North Shore Gas: 18.671 cents (UP from 12.896 cents) SUPPLY RATES What are supply rates? Supply rates cover the costs of the actual gas. Unlike delivery charges, the utilities are not allowed to profit off the supply rate. Under Illinois law, they must 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. Supply takes up about a half to two-thirds of your electric bill. You can opt to pay an alternative supplier for these rates–but most likely your best bet is to stay with your utility for supply. (Read our tips to avoid bad alternative energy supplier deals.) So what are the utilities charging for supply? After two winters of elevated prices, gas supply rates are down […]

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New electric rates for ComEd and Ameren customers in 2024

Jim Chilsen — Thu, 11 Jan 2024 21:33:21 +0000

State regulators last December issued a series of orders that significantly reduced the record rate hikes ComEd and Ameren Illinois wanted, while also rejecting their plans to upgrade the power grid, ruling that they violated several provisions of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA). Below is our breakdown of ComEd and Ameren electric delivery rates and supply prices, as of Jan. 1. (Also, read our Q&A on the electric rulings.) DELIVERY RATES What are delivery rates? Electric bills have two parts: delivery and supply. All of us pay delivery rates to cover the utilities’ costs of sending electricity over their wires to our homes–plus a profit for the companies. Those charges take up about a third to a half of the electric bill. For a decade, Illinois set electric delivery rates for ComEd and Ameren according to the state’s 2011 “Energy Infrastructure and Modernization Act.” The law, which CUB opposed, used a formula to determine delivery rates, and it opened the door to about $1 billion in rate hikes and was at the heart of the ComEd corruption scandal. But last year, the state launched a new system to set rates for the next four years. That process–created by the landmark state energy law, the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act–has given regulators more authority in rate cases. While this doesn’t mean the end of rate hikes, in their first rulings under the new system in December, the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) reduced the record increases sought by ComEd and Ameren by about 71 percent and also rejected their plans to upgrade the power grid, arguing that didn’t prove that they would be affordable and beneficial to consumers. (Read CUB’s Q&A on the ICC rulings.) What else has caused by bill to go up? Under Illinois utility law, if ComEd and Ameren don’t make the profit level that was set in the previous rate case, they are given extra money to make up the difference. (And if the utilities do better than planned, they have to reimburse customers.) This has been an advantage for the utilities. Most recently this “reconciliation” proceeding led to an extra $259 million being added to ComEd rates as of Jan. 1. As the Chicago Tribune editorialized: “One of the most obnoxious aspects of utility regulation in Illinois is that when rates are set for ComEd and downstate electricity utility Ameren Illinois, the companies are all but guaranteed a certain profit level.” CUB opposes this provision in Illinois law. So what are we paying for delivery rates in 2024? CUB dived into the tariffs and here’s what we found. These rates reflect the delivery rate hikes that Ameren and ComEd received on Jan. 1. Ameren: Meter Charge: $4.84/month (formerly $5.22/month) Note: Covers meter-related services, such as installing, maintaining and testing meter equipment. Monthly Customer Charge: $7.33/month (formerly $5.57/month) (Note: It was $6.69 from January through March 2024, but as of April it’s at $7.33 a month.) Note: Helps cover the utility’s administrative costs of doing business, such as billing, postage and customer assistance. EDT Cost Recovery Charge: 0.12531¢/kWh (formerly 0.13375¢/kWh) Note: This charge recovers the Illinois […]

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Q&A on ICC electric rulings and how they impact customers

Elizabeth — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 20:42:46 +0000

The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) on Dec. 14 issued a series of orders that significantly reduced the record rate hikes Commonwealth Edison and Ameren Illinois wanted while also rejecting their plans to upgrade the power grid, ruling that they violated several provisions of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA). The electric rulings struck the same pro-consumer theme as the ICC did last month, when it issued a series of rulings that rebuffed major gas utilities. In the latest ruling, the ICC clearly reined in ComEd and Ameren and held them accountable for making electricity service more affordable as the state works toward a carbon-free power grid by 2045. “If the Illinois Commerce Commission keeps sticking up for ratepayers and Illinois’ climate goals, everyone will benefit,”the Chicago Sun-Times wrote in an editorial. Here’s a Q&A on what the recent ICC rulings mean for consumers. What does this ruling have to do with the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act? Everything. The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, or CEJA, is groundbreaking energy legislation passed by Illinois in 2021 that calls for Illinois to transition to 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2045. Under CEJA, the utilities are required to present to the ICC adequate plans for readying the power grid for that transition, as well as four-year rate plans to pay for those upgrades. One of the reasons CUB supported CEJA is because it works to find the quickest and cheapest way to 100 percent clean energy. The plans the Commission rejected last week were the electric utilities’ response to CEJA’s requirement, but luckily for Illinoisans, CEJA doesn’t just require these plans but also dictates that they are cost-effective, maintain affordability, and meet other consumer- and climate-friendly standards. The Commission found that neither ComEd nor Ameren’s plans did this, so the plans were rejected. “The Commission’s decisions today protect Illinois ratepayers and the goals CEJA created. Illinois’ utilities are specifically required to consider affordability and cost-effectiveness so that customers are not unfairly asked to shoulder undue costs tied to the state’s energy transition,” said ICC Chairman Doug Scott. “While we are not yet at the finish line, compliant plans from the state’s largest utilities will help lead us to an energy transition that works for all Illinoisans.” Why does the power grid need upgrading? Similar to your home needing energy efficiency improvements to help you save money in the long run, ComEd and Ameren need to upgrade their distribution system to meet CEJA’s goals, which include 100 percent clean power by 2045, 1 million electric vehicles on Illinois roads, and historic increases in wind and solar power. But CEJA requires those upgrades to be beneficial and affordable for consumers. What exactly did the ICC rule on? In separate 4-1 votes, Chairman Scott and Commissioners Anne McCabe, Conrad Reddick and Stacey Paradis turned back ComEd and Ameren on several issues: The ICC told both ComEd and Ameren to go back to the drawing board on their multi-year power grid plans, because they failed to comply with several provisions of CEJA. Those provisions include requiring the utilities to be transparent and gather adequate public input […]

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CUB applauds ICC for standing up for ComEd, Ameren customers, holding utilities accountable in unprecedented regulatory rulings

Elizabeth — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 21:11:27 +0000

The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) on Thursday ruled on record ComEd and Ameren Illinois electric rate-hike requests. In the rulings, the ICC rejected the multi-year grid plans proposed by Ameren and ComEd for lacking any proof of their affordability, slashed the excessive shareholder profit rates pushed by the companies and reduced their record rate-hike requests. Below is a statement from CUB Executive Director Sarah Moskowitz. In an unprecedented ruling in favor of electric customers, the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) today reined in reckless spending by ComEd and Ameren, said no to excessive profit rates and lowered the electric utilities’ rate-hike requests by hundreds of millions of dollars. After a decade in which electric utilities exploited lax oversight, scandal, and rampant rate hikes to reap excessive profits, the ICC made it clear that ComEd and Ameren must be held accountable to their customers and provide more affordable electric service. Today’s ICC ruling delivered an important message: Utilities need to prove that their grid plans will actually benefit consumers. Clean energy is about lowering costs for electric customers in the long run, not giving a blank check to Ameren and ComEd. While the final orders in the cases have not yet been filed, CUB can give this summary of the rulings. On Thursday, the ICC, in a 4-1 vote: Rejected multi-year plans proposed by ComEd and Ameren, for lacking transparency and adequate proof of their affordability for consumers. Slashed the companies’ proposed profit rate for shareholders, cutting them from 10.5 percent or more to 8.905 percent for ComEd and 8.72 percent for Ameren. Lowered the companies’ record rate-hike requests by a total of $1.4 billion. In Thursday’s rulings, the ICC struck the same pro-consumer themes as they did in holding gas utilities accountable in a series of Final Orders last month. Read the Chicago Sun-Times coverage of this development: State regulators pull plug on $1.5 billion rate hike sought by ComEd

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