Gas utilities file supply prices–called the Purchased Gas Adjustment (PGA)–each month with the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC). Here’s what CUB uncovered in our review of September prices:
- Compared with last month, seven of 9 major utilities are charging prices that are lower, ranging from 1 percent (MidAmerican Energy) to 38 percent (Consumers Gas). Of the two other utilities, Ameren has the highest September price of any other major utility (its price jumped 7 percent from last month), and Mt. Carmel saw the biggest increase from last month, at 41 percent. The state’s largest utility Nicor Gas is charging about 11 percent less than it did in August, while Peoples Gas is charging about 22 percent less than it did in August.
- Compared with September 2023, six out of 9 major Illinois utilities are charging prices that are lower, ranging from 9 percent (Peoples Gas and Consumers Gas) to 79 percent (Liberty Utilities). Nicor Gas is charging a supply rate that’s 24 percent lower than last year. The three utilities charging higher prices saw increases ranging from 4 percent (Mt. Carmel) to 31 percent (Ameren) to a whopping 132 percent (Illinois Gas).
Below are the PGAs for September and how they compare with a year ago:
September Gas Prices
Ameren Illinois– 52.48 cents per therm (up about 31 percent from September 2023)
Consumers Gas– 41.48 cents per therm (down about 9 percent from September 2023)
Illinois Gas– 44.5 cents per therm (up about 132 percent from September 2023)
Liberty Utilities– 19.24 cents per therm (down about 79 percent from September 2023)
MidAmerican Energy– 38.91 cents per therm (down about 17 percent from September 2023)
Mt. Carmel– 49.57 cents per therm (up about 4 percent from September 2023)
Nicor Gas– 32 cents per therm (down about 24 percent from September 2023)
North Shore Gas– 29.74 cents per therm (down about 15 percent from September 2023)
Peoples Gas– 28.68 cents per therm (down about 9 percent from September 2023)
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 few tips from CUB:
- See if you qualify for energy assistance. The application process for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) opens again in October. To apply or learn more, visit this state of Illinois webpage.
- Keep the lines of communication open with your utility. If you are having trouble affording your gas bills, it is vital that you contact your utility. Ask if you qualify for any energy assistance programs; see if you can set up a payment plan to give you a longer time to pay off your bills; and inquire about no or low-cost energy efficiency programs the company offers.
- Practice energy efficiency at home. For tips and information about helpful energy efficiency programs offered by your utility, visit CUB’s Clean Energy page.
- Beware of alternative supplier rip-offs. If a deal seems too good to be true, there’s a good chance it is. If the utility price increases, remember that it’s due to market factors that also will increase alternative supplier prices. As volatile as gas utility prices are, your best bet for gas supply is likely with your utility and not with an alternative supplier. Read our tips. (Note: Only consumers in Northern Illinois have gas choice.) If you can, consider moving away from gas to electric alternatives: Read our electrification explainer.
More helpful resources:
- CUB’s Gas page
- Historical prices
- CUB’s reports from January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August.
