1.0Citizens Utility Boardhttps://www.citizensutilityboard.orgrich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="dwkROjigjN"><a href="https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/blog/2025/12/11/tough-times-for-northern-illinois-gas-customers-supply-prices-up-15-56-nicor-hits-customers-with-rate-hike-peoples-gas-plans-one-in-2026s-increase-in-2026/">Tough times for northern Illinois gas customers: supply prices up 15-56%, Nicor hits customers with rate hike, Peoples Gas plans one in 2026</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/blog/2025/12/11/tough-times-for-northern-illinois-gas-customers-supply-prices-up-15-56-nicor-hits-customers-with-rate-hike-peoples-gas-plans-one-in-2026s-increase-in-2026/embed/#?secret=dwkROjigjN" width="600" height="338" title="“Tough times for northern Illinois gas customers: supply prices up 15-56%, Nicor hits customers with rate hike, Peoples Gas plans one in 2026” — Citizens Utility Board" data-secret="dwkROjigjN" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(d,l){"use strict";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=new RegExp("^https?:$","i"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display="none";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):"link"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute("src")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener("message",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute("data-secret"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+="#?secret="+t,e.setAttribute("data-secret",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:"ready",secret:t},"*")},!1)))}(window,document); /* ]]> */ </script> A new analysis by consumer advocates Thursday shows that December supply prices charged by northern Illinois gas utilities are about 15 percent to 56 percent higher than they were at the same time last year –  a surge that highlights misleading claims by at least one utility that low fuel costs would offset a record rate hike it proposed. (Read the full Thursday, Dec. 12 news release from the Citizens Utility Board and Illinois PIRG.) The findings from a “state of the Illinois gas market” review come as Nicor Gas just hit customers with their fifth delivery rate hike in less than a decade, and Peoples Gas announced plans to push for a new hike in 2026, just three years after receiving the largest gas increase in Illinois history. At a time when consumers are paying inflated costs for necessities such as groceries and healthcare, consumer advocates warn that the combination of escalating heating gas prices and serial rate-hike proposals by the region’s gas utilities are likely to exacerbate hardships for Illinois households this winter. “This amounts to a double-whammy for gas customers—the volatile market is hitting them with price spikes on one part of the bill, while utilities continue their aggressive spending to jack up rates on another part of the bill,” said Sarah Moskowitz, executive director of the nonprofit utility watchdog Citizens Utility Board (CUB). “While gas utilities enjoy excessive profits, we have serious concerns about the well-being of heating customers this winter.” The price spike exposes a misleading forecast Peoples Gas publicized in 2023 when, in an effort to pacify concerns about the record-breaking $402 million rate hike the utility had proposed, company officials claimed that lower gas supply prices would defray the increase it sought on the delivery side of bills. Although state regulators cut the rate hike significantly, Peoples Gas still eventually received a record $306 million delivery increase, which began to hit customers in December 2023–and the purportedly low gas prices were only temporary. Nationally, gas prices recently hit a three year high. Analysts predict prices will rise higher and grow more volatile as increasing volumes of fuel are exported through liquefied natural gas facilities. The U.S. is expected to nearly double gas exports over the next five years. “Gas utilities took advantage of a decade of relatively low gas prices to spend excessively, driving up delivery rates and utility profits,” said Illinois PIRG Director Abe Scarr. “Because of that, modest increases in the cost of gas hit customers much harder. As gas prices look to rise even higher and grow more volatile, gas utility customers are vulnerable to spiking home heating bills. That’s why it’s important to invest in energy efficiency, rein in rate hikes and transition to safer, cleaner energy to heat our homes.” Major charges on gas bills are divided among supply and delivery fees. The utilities pass supply costs–the price for  buying the actual fuel–onto customers, with no markup. Delivery charges cover the utilities’ cost of delivering gas to homes through their pipe network–plus a profit. Under utility regulation, the gas companies earn a return on their infrastructure investments, incentivizing them […]https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/GasFurnace.png1000646