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 March.
- Compared with last month (February 2025), prices were higher for eight of 9 utilities: Ameren (about 0.24 percent higher), Illinois Gas (about 3.1 percent), Liberty Utilities (about 38.7 percent), MidAmerican Energy (about 10.6 percent), Mt. Carmel (about 11.7 percent), Nicor Gas (about 18.8 percent), North Shore Gas (about 13.8 percent) and Peoples Gas (about 4.5 percent). The lone utility that saw a price decrease was Consumers Gas, with an 11.3 percent decline since last month
- Compared with March 2024, prices were higher for six of 9 utilities, ranging from about 2.7 percent higher for Nicor to about 55.7 percent higher for Consumers Gas. Of the utilities with lower prices from a year ago, the drop ranged from about 1.7 percent lower for Ameren to about 36.4 percent lower for Liberty Utilities. Below, see the full list comparing the PGAs for this month with a year ago.
March Gas Prices
Ameren Illinois– 46.44 cents per therm (down about 1.7 percent from March 2024)
Consumers Gas– 43.36 cents per therm (up about 55.7 percent from March 2024)
Illinois Gas– 52.32 cents per therm (up about 47.5 percent from March 2024)
Liberty Utilities– 43.35 cents per therm (down about 36.4 percent from March 2024)
MidAmerican Energy– 61.17 cents per therm (up about 42.4 percent from March 2024)
Mt. Carmel– 56.1 cents per therm (down about 29.8 percent from March 2024)
Nicor Gas– 38.0 cents per therm (up about 2.7 percent from March 2024)
North Shore Gas– 56.4 cents per therm (up about 45.4 percent from March 2024)
Peoples Gas– 40.7 cents per therm (up about 20.1 percent from March 2024)
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 evaluate whether the companies did a reasonable job with their gas purchases, given market conditions, to hold down costs for consumers as much as possible. The gas utilities are allowed to profit off the delivery side of bills–and Nicor and Ameren Illinois are both pushing for rate hikes in 2025.
If you are having trouble affording your gas bills, you are not alone! A few tips from CUB:
- See if you qualify for energy assistance. To apply or learn more about the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), 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 that gives you more 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 supply 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 2024: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December. And 2025: January, February.
- If you can, consider moving away from gas: Visit our electrification page 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.
