Patch on Politics

ComEd Wants You to Pay More for Electricity You Used Last Year

The utility wants lawmakers to amend a 2011 rate-hike law to allow the utility to retroactively collect money for electricity already used.

 The Illinois Senate Executive Committee unanimously approved a request by ComEd and Ameren to "clarify" a 2011 law that allowed the utilities to raise electricity rates, Illinois Public Radio reports. The clarification would allow the power companies to retroactively charge higher rates for the electricity you've already used, potentially raising up to $70 million for ComEd, according to Sun-Times Media. The 2011 law changed the formula used to determine charges. But the utilities say it didn't work as intended. They say regulators aren't letting them charge what they need. Now the companies are back, asking the legislature to pass another law, clarifying the old one.  (Says) ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore: "Without it we are stalled in these…

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Tom S

9:42 pm on Sunday, February 17, 2013

Under the Smart Grid law passed in 2011, ComEd committed to spend $2.6 billion over 10 years to modernize the electric grid in Northern Illinois. The ICC's interpretation of the law reduced funding to complete the modernization program. As a result, ComEd faced a reduction in funding of nearly $100 million per year in 2014 and beyond. Without the additional funding, ComEd stated it could not …   more ›

District 202 Seeks Energy Savings

The school board Monday rescinded its electricity contract because savings weren't as great as anticipated.

The Plainfield School District 202 board on Monday rescinded the electricity contract that it had approved last month because Constellation NewEnergy could not provide the district the electricity savings it had anticipated. The district budgets about $3.5 million yearly for electricity, and it is seeking to save as much money as possible during these tight financial times. In April, Constellation NewEnergy’s bid would have saved the district $664,000 per year for three years versus current electrical rates, or a savings of $800,000 for a one-year contract, said John Prince, the district’s assistant superintendent for business and operations. However, after the board approved the electricity purchase on April 23, Constellation rebid the …

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