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Commonwealth Edison and Ameren Illinois residential customers have lost a combined total of more than $206 million over the last year and more than $2.3 billion since 2015 to alternative electricity suppliers, according to the ICC’s Office of Retail Market Development’s annual report.

While ComEd and Ameren are in charge of delivering electricity over their power lines, Illinois law allows customers to choose another company—an alternative supplier–to provide the electricity itself. The Illinois Commerce Commission’s Office of Retail Market Development (ORMD), which focuses on electricity competition, recently released its 2026 annual report, covering June 1, 2025 through May 31, 2026.

Findings from the latest ORMD report: Alternative suppliers are still a risky bet

A summary of findings: 

• As of May 2026, nearly 1.14 million Illinois households were with an alternative supplier—about a 3.4 percent decrease from the year before. About 19 percent of ComEd residential customers are with an alternative supplier, compared to about 40 percent of Ameren customers.
• Municipal aggregation—when community leaders negotiate an alternative supply contract  for its residents–is prevalent in Ameren territory, which largely explains why such a higher share of Ameren customers use alternative suppliers than ComEd customers.  Of the 421,710 residential customers with an alternative electricity supplier in Ameren territory, 62 percent were municipal aggregation customers. Of ComEd’s 715,750 alternative supplier customers, 39 percent were on a municipal aggregation offer. 
• On the whole, alternative supply deals did NOT save residential customers money.  ComEd customers who were with an alternative supplier on average paid about 1.28 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) more than ComEd’s supply price. Ameren customers who were with an alternative supplier on average paid about 3.05 cents per kWh more than Ameren’s supply rate. 
• The highest alternative supplier rates the ICC found were a 35.32 cents per kWh variable rate (a rate that can change monthly) in ComEd territory, and a 38 cents per kWh variable rate in Ameren territory. Both prices were about three to four times the default utility supply prices at the time.  (Note: See year-by-year results in the chart at the bottom of this article.) 

CUB working for better consumer protections

CUB has for years warned ComEd and Ameren customers about bad deals peddled by alternative suppliers, and consumer advocates in 2019 helped pass the Home Energy Affordability and Transparency (HEAT) Act, historic Illinois protections against rip-offs. 

But the ICC statistics show that additional protections are needed, and that’s why CUB has worked to pass the “No More Utility Bill Rip-Offs Customer Protection Act” (House Bill 4313), a series of reforms to protect utility customers from bad energy deals.  HB 4313 would require that suppliers cannot at any time charge a supply rate more than 10 percent higher than the utility supply price. Also, it would require a customer’s signature at the time of automatic contract renewal if the supplier is increasing the rate.  

Please sign a CUB petition urging state regulators to continue to crack down on bad actors in the alternative supplier market.

Tips for Illinois consumers 

Here are ways to protect yourself from supplier rip-offs:   

• Check the “Supply” section of your bill to see if you’re with an alternative supplier. Many people don’t realize they are with an alternative supplier until their bills skyrocket. Even if you’re with another supplier, you still receive a utility bill because your utility will deliver the power to your home. If you’re with an alternative supplier, that company will be listed on the “Supply” section of your electric bill. If another company is listed there, see how its rate compares with your utility’s supply price. Note: Alternative suppliers are impacted by the same market conditions that are causing ComEd and Ameren supply prices to increase this summer. It’s likely the utility’s supply price is your best bet. 
  • Ameren’s price is 11.326 cents per kWh from June through September. 
  • ComEd’s price is 10.399 cents per kWh from June through September. 
• If you’re on a “municipal aggregation” community power deal, confirm the price, how it compares with the utility’s supply rate, and for how long the contract is. Remember, savings are not guaranteed with municipal aggregation. 
• Be wary about giving your bill or your account number to just anybody. An unethical sales representative who sees your bill can get your account number and sign you up for an offer without your permission. There’s no need to sign up at your doorstep—high-pressure sales tactics are a red flag.    
• Confirm if the alternative supplier offer is an introductory rate that ends after a short period.  
• Read the fine print. Look for hidden fees–the report found some suppliers offer charging fees ranging from 25 cents per day to $9.99 per month. Also, if an offer has a low fixed rate, check if the fine print has a “force majeure” provision that allows the company to change the rate during certain market conditions.
• If you are on a bad deal, you should be able to leave it without paying an “exit fee,” under Illinois law. Switching can take up to two months. 
• Beware of high-priced “green plans.” Some customers may be willing to pay more for a renewable energy-based plan. But such plans don’t guarantee 1) that clean energy is being pumped into your home and 2) that it’s supporting new clean energy in Illinois. You don’t have to pay more for electricity to help the planet. Other options help the planet–and save money. (See below.)

Good choices in Illinois

There are actually a lot of good options for electric customers in Illinois. Here are some examples that offer more reliable ways to reduce your power bills:

• Energy efficiency. ComEd and Ameren offer no- and low-cost programs to help cut costs. 
• ComEd Peak Time Savings or Ameren Peak Time Rewards. These programs give you a bill credit if you’re able to reduce your energy usage for a limited number of hours on certain days (typically hot summer afternoons) when electricity demand is highest. Demand-response programs like these give you incentives to reduce energy usage when demand is at its peak—that helps lower overall energy prices.
• Community Solar. Community Solar offers the benefits of solar (lower bills) without having to install panels on your property. Get more information at SolarInTheCommunity.com.
• Home Battery/Time of Use rate offers.  This year a new type of offer has hit the Illinois market, combining  a time-variant alternative supply rate with the installation of backup battery storage. These offers, only available in parts of ComEd’s territory and made possible by the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability (CRGA) Act, aren’t for everyone, but could benefit the right household while improving the stability of Illinois’ power grid.  Please read CUB’s Q&A.

Year-by-year results, according to CUB’s review of ORMD reports:.