In the wake of a 45 percent spike in its electricity price, Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) has set up a $10 million relief program, funded by its parent company, for certain income-qualified customers.
In a consumer alert CUB issued last month, CUB explained the spike was due to an increase in the cost for reserve power, also called “capacity.” The increase, which took effect June 1, will cost customers on average about $10.60 a month more, depending on your usage, through May 31.
On June 12, ComEd announced it was joining with Neighborhood Housing Services (NHS) of Chicago and the Salvation Army to launch a Customer Relief Fund to provide one-time grant assistance to its income-eligible customers. Here are the details:
Who is eligible?
- Residential customers who have past-due balances AND are at, or below, 300 percent of the Federal Poverty Level may qualify for a one-time grant of up to $500.
OR
- 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations with past-due balances may qualify for a one-time grant of up to $1,000.
How soon can customers apply?
Monday, July 7, 2025.
Where can customers apply?
Customers will be able to apply directly with NHS and Salvation Army starting July 7. At a special ComEd webpage, ComEd.com/Relief, the “How To Apply” section currently states: “Please come back soon for details on how to apply”–thus specific application details are not available at this time. We recommend bookmarking this page and checking back often. Should we learn anything new, we will be sure to update this post.
Are ComEd customers paying for this?
No. The $10 million fund is supported by a donation to NHS and the Salvation Army from Exelon shareholders, ComEd’s parent company.
Where can customers get more information about this fund?
Visit ComEd.com/Relief.
Does ComEd have any other options for assistance?
- Smart Assistance Manager is an online tool that promises to match consumers’ accounts with potential financial assistance options.
- The Savings Programs, Rebates and Incentives page details energy efficiency incentives and programs.
- ComEd does plan to launch a low-income discount program for qualifying customers, but that’s in January of 2026. Stay tuned for more information.
