As of October 1, ComEd and Ameren Illinois are charging new supply rates, and customers should know what they are to avoid bad deals from alternative electricity suppliers.
The non-summer prices, through May 2024, are listed on the Illinois Commerce Commission’s electric choice website, PlugInIllinois.org:
Ameren Illinois
8.107 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for up to 800 kWh of usage. Every kWh beyond that is 7.094 cents per kWh.
*This rate includes Ameren’s supply price, plus a transmission charge, plus a supply cost adjustment.
ComEd
6.872 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for all kWhs.
*This rate includes ComEd’s supply price plus a transmission charge.
ComEd and Ameren bill their customers to deliver the electricity to their homes, but those customers have the right to choose either their utility or an alternative company to supply the actual electricity. The utility supply rates above are called the “price to compare”—the rate customers should compare to alternative supplier offers pitched to them.
Warning: Since 2015, Illinois consumers have lost more than $1.6 billion to alternative electricity suppliers, according to CUB’s review of reports from the Illinois Commerce Commission’s Office of Retail Market Development. Knowing the “price to compare” helps consumers make informed decisions about their power bills.
“There are a lot of rip-offs being peddled by alternative electricity suppliers, so customers should be careful in Illinois’ electricity market,” CUB Communications Director Jim Chilsen said. “While there are exceptions, often your best bet is to stick with your utility. The most reliable way to save money on your electric bills is through energy efficiency.”
Visit CUB’s Electric page to find fact sheets about making the best choices in the electricity market, including energy efficiency and other money-saving programs offered by the utilities.
