ComEd Archives | Citizens Utility Board https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/blog/tag/comed/ Fight utility rate hikes, promote clean energy, and advocate for consumer protections in Illinois. Wed, 17 Dec 2025 23:11:35 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.2 https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/cropped-CUB_LogoBadgeAlt-32x32.png ComEd Archives | Citizens Utility Board https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/blog/tag/comed/ 32 32 CUB statement: Capacity market prices reflect need for data center reform https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/blog/2025/12/17/cub-statement-capacity-market-prices-reflect-need-for-data-center-reform/ Wed, 17 Dec 2025 23:03:56 +0000 https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/?p=44301 The following is a statement from CUB Executive Director Sarah Moskowitz on the results of PJM Interconnection’s 2027-28 capacity auction, announced Wednesday, Dec. 17 (Read the full statement here.) After a third straight auction marked by unacceptably high prices, it is painfully obvious that our capacity market is breaking under the weight of data center demand and a dysfunctional interconnection queue. Even worse, since the auction results fell below the reliability requirement, consumers are getting the worst of all worlds: paying more money for reduced electric reliability, while existing generators get a windfall. These results ramp up the urgency for decisive action from both PJM Interconnection and individual states, such as Illinois, to rein in runaway data center-related energy demand and protect customers from future price spikes. Data center companies are among the wealthiest in the world, and it is simply unconscionable that customers should pay unbearably high power costs to foot the bill for data center energy guzzling. This is a historic moment that requires action and leadership from PJM and the states in defense of electric customers. What’s good for reliability is good for affordability: Data centers must be held accountable for their own costs. Without real reforms, in just a few years 67 million electric customers in the PJM footprint could face rolling blackouts and an escalation of power bills that make the current price spikes seem tame. While there is a long list of actions that are required, these reforms are at the top of the list: PJM should extend the lower price cap to protect customers, and eliminate any price floor. PJM and states should require data centers to bring their own new clean energy. States should require that data centers operate under maximum energy efficiency and assign data centers into a special rate class to make sure those facilities, and not everyday customers, are paying for data center-related upgrades to the distribution system. –CUB Executive Director Sarah Moskowitz Background: On Wednesday, Dec. 17, PJM Interconnection, a “Regional Transmission Organization,” announced the results of an auction to determine the price for reserve power, or “capacity.” PJM is the largest grid operator in the country, serving 67 million customers across all or parts of 13 states and the District of Columbia (including Commonwealth Edison’s 4.2 million customers). The auction (technically referred to as the “Base Residual Auction”) was held Dec. 4-10. It set a capacity price of $333.44 per Megawatt-day, which will be in effect from June 1, 2027 through May 31, 2028. Capacity costs are payments consumers make to power generators–the companies that own power plants. These costs are a key component (roughly 20 percent) of the price ComEd customers pay for electricity. ComEd has not yet announced how this will impact its supply price in June of 2027. Like last year, the capacity cost hit a price cap negotiated by Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro. The price is more than 11 times higher than what the price was for 2024-2025. That price cap is set to go away after this auction, when a status quo, higher price cap is reinstated. Capacity auction prices in recent […]

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]]> CUB Q&A: The Low-Income Discount (LID) Program for ComEd customers https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/blog/2025/12/17/cub-qa-the-low-income-discount-lid-program-for-comed-customers/ Wed, 17 Dec 2025 18:17:52 +0000 https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/?p=44288 Following the introduction of low-income discount programs for Illinois’ major gas utilities and private water companies, Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) will be rolling out its own discount program in January of 2026. This program is required under the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) and will provide monthly electric-bill discounts for eligible customers.  Who is eligible for these electric-bill discounts? Customers of ComEd whose incomes are at or below 300 percent of the Federal Poverty Line (FPL).  Customers who receive Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) benefits (for households that are at or below 60 percent of the state median income) will be automatically enrolled in this discount program, so a good first step is to confirm if you qualify for LIHEAP. LIHEAP also qualifies you for your gas utility’s LID (for customers of Peoples, North Shore, Nicor, and Ameren Illinois). Stacking these three benefits can provide significant financial support for your utility bills.  Important: If you earn too much to qualify for LIHEAP, you might still qualify for the LID program. Please review the eligibility requirements below and explore applying.    How does the LID work? The LID program is a five-tiered system with a percentage-based discount associated with each tier. The amount of the discount will depend on the household’s income. ComEd has not yet announced the discount percentages that will be available for each tier. However, this information should become available as the program gets implemented in January.  How do I know what Tier I’m in? Use the chart below to estimate your household income level for the past 30 days and your tier in the LID program. The chart can help you estimate eligibility, and the application process will confirm it. (A more comprehensive chart is linked here.)  Number of people in Household Tier 1:0-50% FPL Tier 2:51-100% FPL Tier 3:101-150% FPL Tier 4:151-200% FPL Tier 5:201-300% FPL 1 Up to $652 $653 to $1,304 $1,305 to $1,956 $1,957 to $2,608 $2,609 to $3,913 2 Up to $881 $882 to $1,763 $1,764 to $2,644 $2,645 to $3,525 $3,526 to $5,288 3 Up to $1,110 $1,111 to $2,221 $2,222 to $3,331 $3,332 to $4,442 $4,443 to $6,663 4 Up to $1,340 $1,341 to $2,679 $2,680 to $4,019 $4,020 to $5,358 $5,359 to $8,038 5 Up to $1,569 $1,570 to $3,138 $3,139 to $4,706 $4,707 to $6,275 $6,276 to $9,413 6 Up to $1,798 $1,799 to $3,596 $3,597 to $5,394 $5,395 to $7,192 $7,193 to $10,788 7 Up to $2,027 $2,028 to $4,054 $4,055 to $6,081 $6,082 to $8,108 $8,109 to $12,163 8 Up to $2,256 $2,257 to $4,513 $4,514 to $6,769 $6,770 to $9,025 $9,026 to $13,538 How do I apply? There are two ways to apply, if you think your household qualifies (at or below 300 percent of the FPL): Tiers 1-4: Eligible households with income at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level are eligible for LIHEAP benefits and, additionally, will automatically receive the ComEd LID. To receive an LID discount, those households must apply for LIHEAP through their local Community Action Agency. To get more information on how to locate a household’s Community […]

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]]> New ComEd Electricity Price Still Elevated, But CUB Warns Consumers to Beware of Bad Alternative Supplier Deals https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/blog/2025/10/01/new-comed-electricity-price-still-elevated-but-cub-warns-consumers-to-beware-of-bad-alternative-supplier-deals/ Wed, 01 Oct 2025 16:21:47 +0000 https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/?p=43798 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 supporters react to ComEd bill increases: “I’m tired of being nickled and dimed to death” https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/blog/2025/08/12/im-tired-of-being-nickled-and-dimed-to-death-cub-supporters-react-to-comed-bill-increases/ Tue, 12 Aug 2025 21:08:00 +0000 https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/?p=43456 When we first warned consumers that a 45-50 percent summer price spike was coming, Commonwealth Edison estimated the increase would be about 10-15 percent on bills, or about $10.60 a month on average over the next year. But a series of heat waves combined with the spike appears to have blown that estimate up this summer.  The Chicago Tribune reported on this bill shock, with ComEd saying the average increase from May to June was more like $67 and some customers complained of triple-digit increases.  We asked ComEd customers for their first-hand accounts of how high their electric bills had jumped this June and, as usual, got many detailed responses from CUB supporters. Consumers who submitted a story saw bills increase from 17 percent on up–including one customer who saw his bill go up from about $40 a month to more than $4,000. (Note: Many consumers are still experiencing issues with ComEd’s new billing system, so some of the more outrageous increases could be potentially attributed to a billing mistake.) The average bill increase was 184 percent when adjusted for the one outlier case.  Here’s a sample of some 20 submissions we received:  Jim H. “Our July bill is 58 percent higher than last month, 33 percent higher than last July. $162 for a one level 2BR 1000 square foot frame ranch. Although we do have Central air.” John G. “In May, ComEd told me that I used no electricity, but charged me a $41.05 delivery fee. In June I was charged $4,060.02 for that month’s use – for a little three bedroom house. We’ve been working on getting it resolved ever since.”  Toni H. “My bill went from $10.50 to $67 and I have solar panels– 34 Solar panels on my roof. These corporations are out of control and I am tired of being nickled and dimed to death.” William D. “My bill last month was $99. This month it is estimated at $260. How are we supposed to live like this? It’s insane.”  Peggy K. “My normal bill is approximately $80. My last bill was $170! That’s an outrageous increase!”   Craig R. “My July 22, 2024 bill was $159.82 for 1033 kWh. Supply and delivery were $67.93 and $69.35 respectively. The remainder is taxes and fees. My July 23, 2025 bill is $215.24 for 1151 kWh, an increase of 34.68 percent on my bill and 11.42 percent on my usage. My electricity supply charge is up 53.8 percent YOY.”  Vera P. “My bill is very consistent – high $70s to mid $80s. In June, my bill was $94. In July, it is $187; almost double.”  Michael R. “I have no panic stories to relate, but my bill is $92 higher than it was last month even with the new air conditioner and furnace. So I guess I’m one of the semi fortunate ones.”  Judy N. “I recently received my electric bill and was surprised. When I compared it to my bill from last year, the supply charge was twice as much, and the delivery was 55 percent more than last year. The only thing that was lower were […]

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]]> ComEd’s Hourly Pricing: How to calculate your capacity charge https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/blog/2025/06/13/comeds-hourly-pricing-how-to-calculate-the-customer-capacity-charge-2/ Fri, 13 Jun 2025 17:27:11 +0000 https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/?p=25828 Want to estimate your capacity charge before signing up for ComEd’s Hourly Pricing program? Here’s how to calculate it: 1. Go to this page:  https://secure.comed.com/MyAccount/MyService/Pages/UsageDataTool.aspx, choose “View Summary Data Online,” and “Add” your ComEd account number. 2. Click “View Usage Data” and it’ll take you to a results screen showing vital stats. The “Capacity PLC” at the top is a calculation that is unique to each customer. (PLC stands for “Peak Load Contribution,” and according to ComEd it represents your expected energy usage during high-demand hours on hot summer afternoons. The PLC is your households electricity usage averaged over 10 system peak periods the previous summer. ) 3. Once you find your “Capacity PLC,” you multiply the following four figures: The “Capacity PLC” (unique to your account) The “scaling factor” (1.00712) The “forecast pool requirement” (0.9380) The monthly capacity charge rate ($8.331 per Kilowatt-Month) 4. The product of those four numbers is your capacity charge. For more information, check out CUB’s Hourly Pricing fact sheet.

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]]> Amid 45% Increase in ComEd’s Power Price, CUB Calls on Utility to Work With Customers to Keep Them Safe, Cool, Connected This Summer https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/blog/2025/06/04/amid-45-increase-in-comeds-power-price-cub-calls-on-utility-to-work-with-customers-to-keep-them-safe-cool-connected-this-summer/ Wed, 04 Jun 2025 14:48:42 +0000 https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/?p=43093 With Commonwealth Edison customers facing a 45 percent increase in the price of power, the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) on Wednesday called on Illinois’ largest electric 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, and we urge ComEd to do everything possible to work with people so they stay safe, cool and connected this summer,” CUB Executive Director Sarah Moskowitz said. She called for ComEd to offer consumer-friendly payment plans that give customers a longer time to pay off their debt. ComEd’s summer “price to compare”— the rate customers should compare with alternative supplier offers—is: 10.028 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) from June through September. Note: This rate includes the supply price and a transmission charge. The increase impacts the supply section, which makes up about a half to two-thirds of ComEd bills. ComEd does not profit off supply—they pass those costs onto customers with no markup. A new, non-summer supply rate, which has yet to be announced, will take effect Oct. 1. The price of electricity is expected to be elevated at least through next May. ComEd has estimated the increase will cost customers an average of 10 to 15 percent, or $10.60 more per month, over the next year. 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 northern Illinois, PJM Interconnection, which runs an auction that determines the price of capacity. 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 their utilities to inquire about payment plans and learn about energy efficiency programs. Consider programs to help ease costs. ComEd’s Peak Time Savings 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 ComEd’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 ComEd 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 ComEd’s supply rate. Confirm the price and find out when the offer expires. While the price spike is bad news, the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) is providing some relief.  Illinois’ landmark energy law requires a line item on ComEd bills called […]

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]]> Warning: Be careful of high prices connected to municipal aggregation offers https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/blog/2025/06/02/warning-be-careful-of-high-prices-connected-to-municipal-aggregation-offers/ Mon, 02 Jun 2025 20:53:31 +0000 https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/?p=43042 We’ve warned consumers about sales reps trying to use the Ameren Illinois and Commonwealth Edison price spikes as a way to lure people into bad energy deals–but what about another type of electricity choice: “municipal aggregation,” a.k.a. community power deals through your city, town, or county? We reviewed current aggregation offers across Illinois, and one fail-safe rule emerges: Never assume an offer negotiated by your community guarantees savings. Do your homework.  Going into June, CUB counted 471 community power deals in Illinois, according to the Illinois Commerce Commission’s electricity choice website. Under a state law passed in 2009, local governments can negotiate with alternative electric suppliers to secure a price on behalf of residential and small-business utility customers in that area. The idea is that local leaders can use the collective bargaining power of all the households in the city or county to try to secure a lower power price for residents. Municipal aggregation is an “opt out” program, meaning if the community passes a referendum in favor of aggregation,  most residents of that municipality or county will be automatically enrolled in the program unless they tell the community they’re not interested.    While there are plenty of examples of community power deals that have saved customers money, such savings are never guaranteed. This spike in ComEd and Ameren electricity prices is connected to an increase in the price of reserve power–also called “capacity.” Capacity costs have a major impact on the price of electricity–not just for ComEd and Ameren, but for alternative suppliers also.  That is evident in CUB’s review of community power deals–in particular Ameren customers have reported receiving letters informing them that the price of the municipal aggregation offer is increasing, and giving them a chance to stay with the program or opt out. For example, the City of Peoria has announced that due to higher capacity costs its aggregation price was increasing about 25 percent to 12.937 cents per kilowatt-hour from July to early December.   Have you received a letter informing you of a new price for your community power deal and giving instructions on how to opt out? A few notes:  If you received a letter, it will give you instructions on how to opt out. If you want to stay with the community power deal you don’t have to do anything–you are automatically opted in.  If you go with the aggregation offer and later decide you want out, you can do so at any time without paying an exit fee. But switching back to Ameren or  ComEd can take up to two months. If you do switch back, it’s likely you’ll have to wait 12 months before you can participate in the aggregation program again (unless you’re presented with a new aggregation program contract before then). Check with your community or the aggregation supplier about this detail. If you’re unsure whether you’re on an aggregation deal, see if your community is on this ICC list—but make sure to contact your community or the supplier to verify the price of a deal and how long it will last. If your community has such a deal, there’s a […]

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]]> CUB Warns of June 1 Price Spike on ComEd Bills https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/blog/2025/05/19/cub-warns-of-june-1-price-spike-on-comed-bills/ Mon, 19 May 2025 15:17:19 +0000 https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/?p=42911 Commonwealth Edison’s summer price for electricity is set to increase significantly on June 1, but Illinois’ landmark energy law, the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), will give consumers some relief, the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) said Monday, citing filings by the utility. CUB urged ComEd to work with customers struggling to afford their bills this summer, and said the elevated price highlights the need for long-term reforms. At a news conference, CUB explained the causes of the price spike and said it has launched CUBHelpCenter.com, which has consumer tips on how to get through an expensive summer. While cautioning that pricing information could be adjusted before June 1, CUB said its preliminary review of ComEd tariffs filed Friday shows the utility’s summer supply rate, June through September, would be about 10 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh). This rate, which includes the supply price and a transmission charge, would represent about a 45 percent increase over last June’s price of 6.9¢ per kWh. The price will change again in October. CEJA will partly offset the price spike. The law requires a line item on ComEd bills called the Carbon Free Energy Resource Adjustment (CFERA) to subsidize energy generated by Illinois nuclear power plants. But consumer advocates pushed for a provision that changes the charge to a credit when energy prices go above a certain level, as in June. According to CUB’s review of ComEd tariffs, this credit will reduce ComEd’s price by about 1.7 cents per kWh, or about 17 percent, in June. While it could be adjusted up or down on a monthly basis, a credit of some amount is expected to stay on bills for at least the next 12 months. “We’re glad CEJA gives customers some relief in the short term, and in the long term we will continue to work at fixing the root causes of this price spike, mainly poor policy from PJM Interconnection, the power grid operator for northern Illinois,” CUB Executive Director Sarah Moskowitz said. “As we advocate for pro-consumer reforms at PJM and the State Capitol, we also urge ComEd to work with customers to keep them connected this summer.” CUB’s Consumers for a Better Grid campaign advocates for better PJM policies, and in Springfield the consumer group is working to pass the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act (SB2473/HB3779). The bill would implement a number of pro-consumer policies, including expanding energy efficiency programs and requiring data centers to pay for their own energy costs, rather than those costs being heaped on consumers. CUB provided information about the price spike as well as consumer tips: What’s the cause? The price for reserve power—called “capacity”—has skyrocketed. While higher demand sparked by power-hungry data centers is a factor, this problem is largely because of poor policies undertaken by the regional power grid operator in ComEd territory. PJM has been slow to fix a clogged “interconnection queue”—the line of power plants, largely wind and solar generators, waiting to connect to the grid. (Read CUB’s Q&A about the capacity spike.) What part of the bill is impacted? Supply, which is the cost of the actual electricity, and […]

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]]> My guided tour of ComEd’s Community Solar billing mess https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/blog/2025/02/07/my-guided-tour-of-comeds-community-solar-billing-mess/ Fri, 07 Feb 2025 22:32:31 +0000 https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/?p=42366 By Marina Minic Solar Programs Coordinator  Nearly a year after ComEd’s switch to a new billing system sparked frustrating billing problems for many customers, people are still reporting problems, including participants in Illinois’ groundbreaking Community Solar program–like me! I’ll explain my own experience with ComEd’s current billing mess to show that you aren’t alone–this billing issue is leaving us scratching our heads too.  First off, my message to ComEd is: Fix this, please! And to my fellow Community Solar customers: I feel your pain! If you are experiencing the billing problems I outline here, please reach out to ComEd’s Green Power Connection team (1-800-825-5436) to alert them to your issues and ensure there are no extra charges on your bills. It’s important to stay on top of any odd or new charges on your bill at this time, especially as money is tight for many consumers. One of the worst parts of ComEd’s billing problems is that they have created stumbling blocks for a great program in Illinois: Community Solar. As CUB’s solar programs coordinator, you all know I’m a big believer in solar power as a way to make the electricity grid cleaner while saving energy and money for consumers. It’s part of CUB’s mission to show Illinoisans how clean energy can cut their utility bills–but billing problems from ComEd make it difficult to connect consumers to these strong clean energy programs.   Why I love Community Solar Illinois’ Community Solar program is perfect for me as a renter. In the past, using solar energy wasn’t an option for those who live in apartments, those with too much shade on their property, or those who simply aren’t quite ready to take the leap with their own panel installation. Community Solar changed all that over the last decade.     The Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA) started Community Solar here in Illinois in 2016, allowing consumers to save money on their electric bills from energy produced by offsite community solar projects (also called solar gardens), similar to how you would save if you installed panels on your own property. Here’s how it works:  The owner of the Community Solar garden pays the upfront costs to build, maintain and connect the garden to the utility’s power grid. People then subscribe to a portion of the project’s monthly output–an amount the community solar provider determines from analyzing your household’s energy demand. Each month, you pay your community solar provider for the amount of electricity generated by your subscription. Then the provider reports the output of your subscription to the utility, and the utility company adds credits to your bill equal to that output. (Note: Usually the community solar billing amount is a month or two behind.)  Often, Community Solar participants are issued separate bills from the owner of the Community Solar garden, but more and more owners have been attempting to move to a convenient consolidated billing approach, where everything (Community Solar credits and charges) appears together on your ComEd bill.  ComEd’s billing problems–a deep dive While CUB has received reports of billing problems from Community Solar customers in general, this blog will focus on […]

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]]> Casework Roundup: Enough! Gas utility pushes for record rate hike https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/blog/2025/01/21/casework-roundup-enough-gas-utility-pushes-for-record-rate-hike/ Tue, 21 Jan 2025 21:56:19 +0000 https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/?p=42203 The ink was barely dry on rate hikes granted electric and water utilities in 2024 when Nicor Gas and Ameren Illinois proposed new gas increases for 2025—including one that would be the largest gas increase in Illinois history. Also, Peoples Gas has filed papers with state regulators indicating it might push for a rate hike. We’ll update you if they officially file for an increase. Here’s a summary of news at the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC): Nicor: In January, Nicor requested a $309 million increase–what would be the largest gas hike in Illinois history. Nicor has received four rate hikes—totaling $724 million—since 2018. This new request would jack up delivery rates by more than 20%. CUB’s reaction: “Nicor’s push for a ridiculous 10.35% 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.” Ameren: Ameren also filed for a gas rate hike. At press time, the utility hadn’t revealed the full amount of its request, but said it would increase delivery rates by 20-28%. Ameren has won $111 million in gas hikes over the last few years: $76 million in 2021 and $35.2 million in 2023. CUB’s reaction: “This increase would be a hardship for many Ameren customers. We urge the ICC to reduce the utility’s wasteful spending and hold it accountable to its customers.” Illinois American, Aqua (water): On Nov. 21, the ICC OK’d an $11.6 million rate hike for Aqua Illinois, about 40% less than what the utility had wanted. On Dec. 5, the ICC approved a $110 million rate hike for Illinois American Water, about 28% less than what the company had originally requested. In total, the two increases were cut by about $50 million. CUB’s reaction: “We are relieved Illinois American and Aqua didn’t get the rate hikes they wanted, but we are still concerned about the increases. The ICC’s rulings give new urgency to CUB’s push to reform privatization laws that water utilities use to plunder their customers.” ComEd, Ameren (electric): On Dec. 19, the ICC OK’d multi-year rate hikes for Commonwealth Edison and Ameren. CUB and other consumer advocates secured a total of about $1.8 billion in savings for electricity customers, but the utilities still won rate hikes: $606 million for ComEd, adding to the $500 million it got in 2023; and $309 million for Ameren, adding to the $56 million it received in 2023. These hikes will be spread out over four years through 2027, to cover costs to maintain/improve the power grid, plus a profit. CUB’s reaction: “It’s a step in the right direction that the ICC has cut wasteful spending by hundreds of millions of dollars, reduced the utilities’ proposed rate hikes by a total of about $95 million and held their profit rate for shareholders to about 8.9% for ComEd and 8.7%, for Ameren, down from the ridiculous 10.5-10.65% the utilities had proposed in their first grid plans. But an increase of any kind is difficult to bear for far too many customers. We […]

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