Nicor Archives | Citizens Utility Board

Op-Ed: Frustrated–even ‘heartbroken’–Nicor customers wonder when enough is enough

Jim Chilsen — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 22:26:03 +0000

By Sarah Moskowitz, Executive Director, Citizens Utility Board Nicor Gas usually delivers the heat, but at a recent Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) public forum in Joliet the utility was the one on the hot seat–over escalating bills. One Nicor customer walked to the microphone and directly addressed the utility bigwigs who were on stage to champion their proposal for the largest gas hike in Illinois history. The consumer said she was “heartbroken” over high gas bills that were burdening families. “We’re still suffering,” she said, calling on Nicor to lower bills so they are “truly affordable for all of us.” Given Nicor’s track record, it’s doubtful Illinois’ biggest gas utility got the message. Nicor has slapped its over 2 million customers with four rate hikes since 2017–raising delivery rates by 114 percent, or $747 million, and helping its parent, Southern Co., laugh all the way to the bank with $25.2 billion in profits. Now, Nicor wants a fifth: $316.5 million–a state record that would raise bills by 9.28 percent, or an average of $7.70 per month. If the utility gets its way, this increase would hit just in time for winter. Over the last decade, excessive, wasteful gas-pipeline spending has been business-as-usual for major Illinois utilities like Peoples Gas, Ameren Illinois and Nicor. Because they earn a profit on their capital investments, gas utilities are incentivized to overspend, and our bills have skyrocketed. Seeing their gravy train ending in decades to come, with consumers and regulators becoming more aware of the hazards of gas, these companies have resorted to serial rate hikes, as Illinois begins the long-term transition from fossil fuels. Nicor is an excellent example of this business model. Testimony filed by the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) Illinois PIRG, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and the Illinois Attorney General’s Office have shown that the utility’s fifth rate-hike request in less than a decade is so full of waste and excess that it’s about double what Nicor can possibly justify under state law. CUB alone found more than $111 million in overcharges, and when the Attorney General’s recommendations are taken into consideration, the reductions surge to nearly $153 million. And that total still doesn’t account for all of the reductions identified by other parties in the case. Some of the most egregious examples of overcharges include: Exorbitant profit rate. Nicor wants to exploit struggling customers to further enrich its shareholders. Its rate hike would unfairly raise bills by nearly $50 million to fund a bloated 10.35 percent profit rate – known as “Return on Equity” (ROE)—for private investors. Lavish Bonuses. Nicor wants another $18 million to reward executives with bonus compensation for reaching financial goals that help enrich shareholders but have absolutely no benefit to customers. Excessive Monthly Charge. Nicor wants to raise its monthly customer charge by about 20 percent to $23.41. But that just punishes customers who want to use energy efficiency to lower their bills. Wasteful program. Nicor’s TotalGreen pilot program should be eliminated. It invites customers to pay a premium on monthly bills to lower their carbon footprint via carbon offsets and “renewable natural gas” credits of questionable environmental benefit. After two years, only 131 of Nicor’s […]

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Consumer Advocates Urge Regulators To Cut Nicor’s Record Rate Hike By More Than Half; Decry Excessive Profits, Wasteful Executive Bonuses

Elizabeth — Wed, 07 May 2025 15:50:34 +0000

Nicor Gas’ bid for a record-breaking $308.6 million rate hike is rife with excesses and should be slashed by more than half, according to testimony submitted to state regulators by the Citizens Utility Board (CUB), Illinois PIRG, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), and other consumer advocates. (Update: Since the testimony was filed, Nicor has announced that the rate-hike total is now $314.2 million.) CUB warned the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) that more than $111 million in the rate hike proposal – including a lavish profit rate for Nicor shareholders and wasteful spending on executive bonuses – doesn’t pass legal muster and should be rejected. When the Illinois Attorney General’s recommendations are taken into consideration, the requested cuts surge to nearly $153 million, according to testimony filed by the state’s chief legal officer. And that total still doesn’t account for all of the reductions identified by other parties in the case. Nicor’s proposal would represent the largest rate hike for a gas utility in Illinois history. “This testimony exposes Nicor’s bald-faced attempt to capture exorbitant shareholder profits–an all-too-familiar theme for the utility’s customers who have already suffered from exorbitant rate hikes in recent years,” said CUB Executive Director Sarah Moskowitz, who urged Nicor customers to sign a petition against the rate hike at CUBActionCenter.com. “We urge the ICC to stand up for Nicor customers and slash the utility’s request for a record rate hike.” This is Nicor’s fifth rate-hike request 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 $25.2 billion in profits. “It’s time for Nicor to move beyond business-as-usual practices that have already more than doubled its rates in under a decade,” said Illinois PIRG Director Abe Scarr. “By considering alternatives to new fossil fuel infrastructure, Nicor can maintain system integrity while reducing rate increases and facilitating the transition to safer, cleaner energy.” “In 2023, the Commission warned Nicor it would need to plan for a gas system that meets Illinois decarbonization goals. Two years later, that change is not happening fast enough,” said EDF Senior Attorney Curt Stokes. “EDF, along with our allies, has filed testimony charting a better course. It is our hope that Nicor will take our suggestions seriously and update its plan; if not, we will ask the Commission to order them to.” Experts sponsored by Illinois PIRG and EDF analyzed Nicor’s proposals and asked the Commission to reduce planned gas-pipeline spending by more than $80 million, because Nicor failed to adequately consider alternatives such as repairs or “non-pipeline alternatives” like targeted electrification. EDF and Illinois PIRG made a similar critique of Nicor’s spending on gas transmission pipelines in its 2023 rate case. Notably, Nicor responded by more robustly considering alternatives to transmission pipe replacement. In seven of nine transmission projects, Nicor chose an alternative to pipe replacement, saving customers at least $33 million. A similar reduction in distribution pipeline replacement spending now would better align with Illinois’ carbon-reduction goals. Details of the Case In January 2025 Nicor Gas filed for a $308.6 million increase (Docket No. 25-0055). Nicor has […]

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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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Natural gas prices ease in November, but they’re still REALLY high

Elizabeth — Mon, 31 Oct 2022 11:38:29 +0000

Good news: For the first time in months, we’re seeing a decrease in natural gas prices. Bad news: November’s supply prices–while lower than October–are higher than they were for most utilities in 2021, and they’re about about double to quadruple what they were two years ago, according to filings with the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC). 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. And 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 about 30 percent more this winter, and we’ve seen some predictions as high as 59 percent. Gas utilities file new supply prices– called the Purchased Gas Adjustment (PGA)– each month with the ICC. Below are the supply prices for November, and how they compare with the prices from last year. November Gas Prices Ameren Illinois 80.75 cents per therm (up about 19 percent from November 2021) Consumers Gas 62.72 cents per therm (up about 15 percent from last November) Illinois Gas 74.66 cents per therm (up about 57 percent from last November) Liberty Utilities 75.88 cents per therm (up about 19 percent from last November) MidAmerican Energy 73.08 cents per therm (down about 19 percent from last November) Mt. Carmel $1.27 per therm (up about 35 percent from last November) Nicor Gas $1.14 per therm (up about 68 percent from last November) North Shore Gas 72.48 cents per therm (up about 6 percent from last November) Peoples Gas 71.16 cents per therm (down about 4 percent from last November) 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. 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 for a period 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 this year, that 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. But the gas utilities hide behind supply and demand excuses. There’s more to this story in Illinois: Aggressive spending and/or rampant rate hikes by Peoples Gas, Nicor Gas and Ameren Illinois also have contributed to skyrocketing gas bills. While […]

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Winter heating season is here, and so are painfully high October gas prices

Elizabeth — Sat, 01 Oct 2022 12:51:31 +0000

We’re officially at the start of the heating season and Illinois faces a painful winter. One report estimates a 17 percent jump in heating costs this winter, and another says 1 in 6 Americans are already struggling to keep up with their utility bills. “All indications are that gas bills will, for the second consecutive winter, be elevated,” CUB told one reporter. “It looks like this will be another painful winter for Illinois consumers.” 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. This month’s supply prices are anywhere from 98 percent to 433 percent higher than they were just two years ago. Gas utilities file new supply prices– called the Purchased Gas Adjustment (PGA)– each month. Below are the supply prices for October, and how they compare with the prices from last year. October Gas Prices Ameren Illinois 89.08 cents per therm (up about 33 percent from October 2021) Consumers Gas 98.88 cents per therm (up about 23 percent from last October) Illinois Gas 90.84 cents per therm (up about 120 percent from last October) Liberty Utilities $1.05 per therm (up about 89 percent from last October) MidAmerican Energy 95.68 cents per therm (down about 0.6 percent from last October) Mt. Carmel $1.30 per therm (up about 29 percent from last October) Nicor Gas $1.24 per therm (up about 97 percent from last October) North Shore Gas 86.18 cents per therm (up about 28 percent from last October) Peoples Gas $1.07 per therm (up about 48 percent from last October) 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. 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 for a period in 2014. The latest spike was first caused by extreme weather in February of 2021. Record cold in the South froze gas in the wellhead 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 this year, that have combined to cause ongoing pain for Illinois consumers. Now, the elevated gas prices are causing electricity prices to skyrocket also–because gas is often used to generate electricity. But the gas utilities hide behind supply and demand excuses. There’s more to this story in Illinois: Aggressive spending and/or rampant rate hikes by Peoples Gas, Nicor Gas and Ameren Illinois also have contributed to skyrocketing gas bills. While utilities cannot profit off gas supply, they have increased and profited off […]

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September gas prices are out, prepare for winter heating season now

Elizabeth — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 18:20:20 +0000

We’re officially one month from winter heating season. Based on future prices, we’re looking at a painful winter, especially as 1 in 6 Americans are struggling to keep up with their utility bills. About 80 percent of Illinois homes heat with natural gas, and the past winter was their most expensive winter since the cold season of 2008-09, with many customers paying hundreds of dollars more to heat their homes. This month’s supply prices are up anywhere from 147 percent to 377 percent higher than they were in September 2020. Gas utilities file new supply prices– called the Purchased Gas Adjustment (PGA)– each month. Below are the prices for September. September Gas Prices Ameren Illinois 86.23 cents per therm (up about 30 percent from September 2021) Consumers Gas $1.06 per therm (up about 46 percent from last September) Illinois Gas 87.36 cents per therm (up about 118 percent from last September) Liberty Utilities $1.15 per therm (up about 149 percent from last September) MidAmerican Energy $1.08 per therm (up about 31 percent from last September) Mt. Carmel 88.77 cents per therm (up about 49 percent from last September) Nicor Gas $1.24 per therm (up about 134 percent from last September) North Shore Gas 92.65 cents per therm (up about 60 percent from last September) Peoples Gas $1.05 per therm (up about 58 percent from last September) 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. Gas supply price spikes are a recurring theme in the fossil fuel industry, and this one was first sparked by extreme weather in February of 2021 and then propped up by other developments, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, that have combined to cause ongoing pain for Illinois consumers. (Now, the elevated gas prices are causing electricity prices to skyrocket also–because gas is often used to generate electricity.) But the gas utilities hide behind supply and demand excuses. There’s more to this story in Illinois: Aggressive spending and rampant rate hikes by Peoples Gas, Nicor Gas and Ameren Illinois also have contributed to skyrocketing gas bills. While utilities cannot profit off gas supply, they have increased and profited off another part of the bill: Delivery, what they charge to deliver gas to homes. CUB is working to eliminate the “Qualified Infrastructure Plant” surcharge from Ameren, Nicor and Peoples Gas bills (Take Action!) The charge, which was created by a law the General Assembly passed in 2013, allows gas utilities to sidestep the traditional regulatory process and rake in revenue more quickly, leading to rapidly rising heating bills. NOTE: Please visit CUBHelpCenter.com for information on high energy prices, efficiency tips, consumer rights against disconnection, and information about financial assistance programs. If you are having difficulty affording your energy bills, watch CUB’s video on three actions you can […]

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Alert: CUB urges struggling consumers to call their utilities before key protections expire July 31

Jim Chilsen — Fri, 29 Jul 2022 11:32:44 +0000

Amid high energy prices, the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) is urging consumers who are struggling to pay their utility bills to call their utilities immediately to learn about protections available to stay connected to service. Some of those safeguards expire July 31. “It’s been a rough year for utility customers, and it’s so important that people keep the lines of communication open with their utilities,” CUB Communications Director Jim Chilsen said. “Call your utilities to learn about energy assistance available and special payment plans to pay off your debt, and inquire about energy efficiency programs that can help soften the blow of these high prices.” Energy prices are at unprecedented levels for natural gas and electric customers. The ComEd and Ameren summer power prices are up by a range of 60 percent to 120 percent. Natural Gas prices offered by utilities across the state are up to 130 percent higher than last year. CUB and other consumer advocates have negotiated with utilities to create protections to help people stay connected. But many of those end July 31. The following is a summary of some protections, broken down by major utilities in the state: ComEd, Ameren Illinois, Nicor Gas, Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas said they will not disconnect lower-income customers due to nonpayment, through July 31. Specifically, this covers customers who in 2022 have applied for or are receiving benefits through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) or the Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP). ComEd: LIHEAP or PIPP customers can receive Deferred Payment Arrangements (DPAs) of 12 months, with no down payment, available through July 31. All other residential customers can sign up for a DPA of up to 12 months with 10 percent down until July 31. Ameren: The utility has publicly said qualified Ameren Illinois customers who are behind on their energy bills can establish an 18-month repayment plan with a 10 percent down payment through July 31. After July 31, most customers with outstanding balances will need to make a 25 percent down payment before they can establish a monthly payment plan Nicor: Customers can sign up for an 18-month deferred payment arrangement (DPA) with no down payment required. Peoples Gas/North Shore Gas: LIHEAP/PIPP customers or applicants are eligible for an 18-month DPA with no down payment required through July 31. All other residential customers may enroll in a 25 percent down, 18-month DPA through July 31. CUB encourages consumers to call their utilities to ask if they’re eligible for these protections before they expire. Utility contact information: ComEd 1-800-334-7661 Ameren 1-800-755-5000 Nicor 1-888-642-6748 Peoples Gas 1-866-556-6001 and North Shore Gas 1-866-556-6004 For more information about high energy prices, visit CUBHelpCenter.com.

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