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 prices in October, the first month of the winter heating season.
- Compared with last month, five of 9 major utilities are charging prices that are higher, ranging from about 4 percent (Illinois Gas) to 68 percent (Mt. Carmel). MidAmerican’s price jumped about 18 percent from last month. Four other utilities saw decreases from last month ranging from about 2 percent (Liberty Utilities) to about 13 percent (Nicor Gas, the state’s largest gas utility). Of other big utilities in Illinois, Ameren saw a 6 percent decrease, while Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas saw increases of 5 percent and 10 percent, respectively.
- Compared with October 2023, six out of 9 major Illinois utilities are charging prices that are lower, ranging from a 5 percent (Consumers Gas) to about 62 percent (Liberty Utilities) decrease. Nicor Gas is charging a supply rate that’s about 33 percent lower than last year. Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas are charging supply prices that are about 11 percent and about 17 percent lower, respectively. The three utilities charging higher prices saw increases of about 18 percent (Ameren), 49 percent (Illinois Gas) and about 57 percent (Mt. Carmel).
Below are the PGAs for October and how they compare with a year ago:
October Gas Prices
Ameren Illinois– 49.31 cents per therm (up about 18 percent from October 2023)
Consumers Gas– 38.30 cents per therm (down about 5 percent from October 2023)
Illinois Gas– 46.19 cents per therm (up about 49 percent from October 2023)
Liberty Utilities– 18.88 cents per therm (down about 62 percent from October 2023)
MidAmerican Energy– 46.01 cents per therm (down about 4 percent from October 2023)
Mt. Carmel– 83.31 cents per therm (up about 57 percent from October 2023)
Nicor Gas– 28 cents per therm (down about 33 percent from October 2023)
North Shore Gas– 32.60 cents per therm (down about 17 percent from October 2023)
Peoples Gas– 30.06 cents per therm (down about 11 percent from October 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. (Also, check out our Step by step guide to applying for LIHEAP.)
- 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 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.
- 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.)
- More helpful resources:
- CUB’s Gas page
- Historical gas prices
- CUB’s gas-price reports from January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September
- If you can, consider moving away from gas: Read our electrification explainer and order CUB’s free Better Heat Guide to learn how to make the transition to more efficient appliances, like electric heat pumps and induction stove tops.
