Latest news with #ComEd
Business Wire
3 hours ago
- Business
- Business Wire
ComEd Energy Efficiency Program Exceeds 2024 Goals of Saving Customers 13 Million MWhs of Electricity
CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In 2024, the award-winning ComEd Energy Efficiency Program helped customers save over 13 million megawatt hours (MWhs) of electricity, surpassing state law requirements. Since 2012, installed energy-efficiency measures have continued to deliver savings. This resulted in nearly $1.3 billion in electric bill savings for customers last year, according to ComEd. The energy-saving results are based on an independent evaluation of the ComEd program conducted by Guidehouse, a global consulting and managed services provider. With the average monthly residential customer bill in the ComEd service territory projected to increase by approximately $10.60 in June, the result of the annual PJM Interconnection capacity auction held last year, the evaluation shows the ComEd program continues to effectively assist customers in managing their energy consumption and maintaining control over electricity costs. 'ComEd recognizes the challenge posed by rising supply costs effective in June,' said Melissa Washington, senior vice president of customer operations and strategic initiatives for ComEd. 'Although we can't control this increase, we offer energy-efficiency options to help customers manage their energy costs and connect them to grants and bill-support options. The fact that customers are taking advantage of these options highlights their importance.' The ComEd Energy Efficiency Program, funded in accordance with state law, offers services, incentives, and rebates to assist families and businesses in reducing costs and improving energy usage. In 2024, the program: provided ComEd residential and business customers with over $277 million in incentives through rebates and discounts on energy-efficiency measures and projects. increased the comfort and efficiency of more than 53,000 multi-family units by installing insulation, air sealing, heat pumps, and other measures at no cost to the residents. saved business customers more than 754,000 MWhs of electricity, amounting to over $79 million in bill savings, with an estimated total savings of 9.6 million MWh over the expected life of those measures, totaling more than $1 billion. saved residential customers over 1 million MWhs of electricity, resulting in over $170 million in bill savings, with an estimated total savings of 13.2 million MWh over the expected life of those measures, totaling nearly $2.2 billion. enabled over 161,000 income-eligible customers to save more than 730,000 MWhs, equating to nearly $123 million in annual bill savings. Income-eligible customers are also expected to realize estimated total savings of 10 million MWhs over the life of these measures, totaling more than $1.6 billion. 'By taking advantage of energy efficiency programs, customers can meaningfully reduce their energy bills,' said Paige Knutsen, executive director of the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (MEEA). 'Energy efficiency programs support thousands of strong, local jobs and help make our communities' homes and businesses more comfortable and resilient.' Since 2008, the ComEd Energy Efficiency Program, one of the largest and longest-running of its kind, has saved customers over $11 billion on electric bills and more than 99 million megawatt-hours of electricity. This is equivalent to: avoiding over 74 billion pounds of carbon emissions, removing nearly 8 million cars from the road, and planting about 34 million acres of trees. ComEd also provides various bill-assistance options, such as budget billing, payment arrangements, and federal grants through LIHEAP. So far this year, ComEd has helped over 114,000 customers access nearly $22 million in financial assistance and other support programs. Customers can visit to find both energy-efficiency and bill-assistance options for which they may qualify.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
AMID 45% INCREASE IN COM ED'S POWER PRICE, CUB CALLS ON UTILITY TO WORK WITH CUSTOMERS TO KEEP THEM SAFE, COOL, CONNECTED THIS SUMMER
CHICAGO, June 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- With Commonwealth Edison customers facing a 45 percent increase in the price of power, the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) on Wednesday called on Illinois' largest electric utility to work with people struggling to afford their bills this summer so they can keep their electricity on and protect themselves from dangerous heat. "This will be a difficult summer for far too many customers, and we urge ComEd to do everything possible to work with people so they stay safe, cool and connected this summer," CUB Executive Director Sarah Moskowitz said. She called for ComEd to offer consumer-friendly payment plans that give customers a longer time to pay off their debt. ComEd's summer "price to compare"— the rate customers should compare with alternative supplier offers—is: 10.028 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) from June through September. Note: This rate includes the supply price and a transmission charge. The increase impacts the supply section, which makes up about a half to two-thirds of ComEd bills. ComEd does not profit off supply—they pass those costs onto customers with no markup. A new, non-summer supply rate, which has yet to be announced, will take effect Oct. 1. The price of electricity is expected to be elevated at least through next May. ComEd has estimated the increase will cost customers an average of 10 to 15 percent, or $10.60 more per month, over the next year. The spike is connected to an increase in the price for reserve power, also called "capacity." CUB argues that capacity costs have skyrocketed largely because of policy problems with the power grid operator for northern Illinois, PJM Interconnection, which runs an auction that determines the price of capacity. CUB has tips to help Illinois consumers get through the expensive summer at including: Use energy efficiency to soften the blow of the price spike. Simple actions can help, such as weatherizing windows and doors and turning off unnecessary lights. Don't take risks that keep your home too hot–efficiency is about eliminating waste but staying safe and cool this summer. Stay in contact with your utility. Consumers who are struggling should contact their utilities to inquire about payment plans and learn about energy efficiency programs. Consider programs to help ease costs. ComEd's Peak Time Savings program gives customers the opportunity to earn bill credits by reducing electricity usage during high-demand periods, typically summer afternoons. Also, Illinois' community solar program offers customers the benefits of solar power without having to install panels on their homes. All offers currently guarantee savings compared to ComEd's supply price. CUB's resource, can help you carefully shop for offers. Beware of rip-offs. Since 2015, Illinois consumers have lost about $1.8 billion to alternative electricity suppliers. These suppliers are impacted by the same market conditions that are causing utility prices to increase, so it's likely, even in this expensive market, that ComEd is your best bet. One exception: If your community has negotiated a power deal with a supplier, it's possible the price is lower than ComEd's supply rate. Confirm the price and find out when the offer expires. While the price spike is bad news, the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) is providing some relief. Illinois' landmark energy law requires a line item on ComEd bills called the Carbon Free Energy Resource Adjustment (CFERA) to subsidize energy generated by nuclear power plants in Illinois. But consumer advocates pushed for a provision that changes the charge to a credit when energy prices go above a certain level. The credit can change each month, but it's expected to be on bills for the next year. In June it's a 1.7 cents per kWh credit. For more than 40 years the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) has been Illinois' leading nonprofit utility watchdog group. Created by the Illinois Legislature, CUB opened its doors in 1984 to represent the interests of residential and small-business utility customers. Since then, CUB has helped save consumers more than $20 billion by blocking rate hikes and securing refunds. For more information, call CUB's Consumer Hotline, at 1-800-669-5556, or visit CUB's website, View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Citizens Utility Board Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Rockford ComEd users may soon have to pay higher monthly fees and here's why:
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — The City Council is split over whether or not to agree to ComEd's cost increase for 11th Street Reconstruction plans. Back in 2024, the city agreed to pay $4,460,362 to ComEd for Phase 1 of the 11th Street Reconstruction Plan. This plan includes the relocation of utility poles underground. City officials said ComEd was 60% of the way complete with Phase 1 when members approached Council and asked for a cost increase of $9,300,000, nearly double the original agreement. Third Ward Alderman Chad Tuneberg is a member of the Finance and Personnel Committee and said the idea to put these poles underground is a good one. 'I think everyone would appreciate power lines being buried not only cosmetically, aesthetically, but also for the power outages that that may not occur with power lines buried,' the Alderman said. But Tuneberg said the cost increase would impact ComEd the monthly fees for ComEd users. 'Each and every resident of Rockford would be affected by this,' Ald. Tuneberg said. 'Small, mid and large businesses would be really affected by it. We just could not put that on the backs of our residents and our businesses within our city.' George Gaulrapp is the External Affairs Manager for ComEd and released a statement saying, 'ComEd is committed to working with municipalities as they develop plans to improve their communities,' he said. 'Per our process, we provided a preliminary, initial estimate prior to a robust engineering design process that resulted in a revised estimate. We are continually reviewing and improving our internal processes to ensure we provide more accurate cost estimates for our customers. We are dedicated to working with Rockford to bring this project to fruition.' The vote Monday was to deny this cost increase request from ComEd. If the Council had approved that denial, construction would have continued and the power lines would have remained above ground. The Council voted 7-5 in favor of the denial. Then, Alderwoman Janessa Wilkens retracted her vote, which made it a 6-6 tie. Mayor McNamara was tasked with the tie-breaking vote, and he voted against the denial, resulting in a 6-7 vote and a failed approval of the denial. This means that an Ordinance on this item will be written for the Council to vote on at the meeting on June 16th. If the Ordinance gets eight votes in favor of it, the monthly fee increases will take effect. Tuneberg said he is concerned with how Phases 2 and 3 of this project could impact Rockford residents. 'We're looking at businesses that would be paying thousands upon thousands of dollars a month each month during the duration of this project,' Tuneberg said. 'I don't know how we can ask them to do that.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Feds want lengthy 12 1/2-year prison sentence for ex-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan
CHICAGO — Calling former House Speaker Michael Madigan 'steeped in corruption,' federal prosecutors on Friday asked for a whopping 12 1/2-year prison term and $1.5 million fine for Madigan's conviction nearly four months ago on bribery and other conspiracy charges. 'The crimes charged and proven at trial demonstrate that Madigan engaged in corrupt activity at the highest level of state government for nearly a decade,' prosecutors wrote in their 72-page memo. 'Time after time, Madigan exploited his immense power for his own personal benefit by trading his public office for private gain for himself and his associates, all the while carefully and deliberately concealing his conduct from detection.' Prosecutors also want U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey to punish Madigan for what they say were a series of lies he told on the witness stand when he testified in his own defense in January. 'Madigan has expressed no remorse for his crimes, nor has he acknowledged the damage wrought by his conduct,' the filing stated. 'Indeed, Madigan went so far as to commit perjury at trial in an effort to avoid accountability, and he persists in framing his actions as nothing more than helping people.' If prosecutors were successful, Madigan would be around 94 years old when eligible for release given federal convicts must serve 85% of their incarceration time. Madigan's lawyers, meanwhile, are set to file their own sentencing recommendations later Friday. His sentencing is set for June 13. Madigan, 83, once the most powerful politician in the state, was convicted by a jury Feb. 12 on bribery conspiracy and other corruption charges alleging he used his public office to increase his power, line his own pockets and enrich a small circle of his most loyal associates. The jury found him guilty on 10 of 23 counts, including one count of conspiracy related to a multipronged scheme to accept and solicit bribes from utility giant Commonwealth Edison. Jurors also convicted him on two counts of bribery and one Travel Act violation related to payments funneled to Madigan associates for do-nothing ComEd subcontracts. Madigan also was convicted on six out of seven counts — including wire fraud and Travel Act violations — regarding a plan to get ex-Ald. Daniel Solis, a key FBI mole who testified at length in the trial, appointed to a state board. But after 11 days of deliberation, the jury's final verdict was mixed, deadlocking on several counts — including the marquee racketeering conspiracy charge — and acquitting Madigan on numerous others. Jurors also deadlocked on all six counts related to Madigan's co-defendant, Michael McClain. The verdict came after a four-month trial and capped one of the most significant political corruption investigations in Chicago's sordid history. It also cemented an extraordinary personal fall for Madigan, the longest-serving state legislative leader in the nation's history who for decades held an iron-tight grip on the House as well as the state Democratic Party. ____
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Feds want lengthy 12 1/2-year prison sentence for ex-House Speaker Michael Madigan
Calling former House Speaker Michael Madigan 'steeped in corruption,' federal prosecutors on Friday asked for a whopping 12 1/2-year prison term and $1.5 million fine for Madigan's conviction nearly four months ago on bribery and other conspiracy charges. 'The crimes charged and proven at trial demonstrate that Madigan engaged in corrupt activity at the highest level of state government for nearly a decade,' prosecutors wrote in their 72-page memo. 'Time after time, Madigan exploited his immense power for his own personal benefit by trading his public office for private gain for himself and his associates, all the while carefully and deliberately concealing his conduct from detection.' Prosecutors also want U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey to punish Madigan for what they say were a series of lies he told on the witness stand when he testified in his own defense in January. 'Madigan has expressed no remorse for his crimes, nor has he acknowledged the damage wrought by his conduct,' the filing stated. 'Indeed, Madigan went so far as to commit perjury at trial in an effort to avoid accountability, and he persists in framing his actions as nothing more than helping people.' If prosecutors were successful, Madigan would be around 94 years old when eligible for release given federal convicts must serve 85 percent of their incarceration time. Madigan's lawyers, meanwhile, are set to file their own sentencing recommendations later Friday. His sentencing is set for June 13. Madigan, 83, once the most powerful politician in the state, was convicted by a jury Feb. 12 on bribery conspiracy and other corruption charges alleging he used his public office to increase his power, line his own pockets and enrich a small circle of his most loyal associates. The jury found him guilty on 10 of 23 counts, including one count of conspiracy related to a multipronged scheme to accept and solicit bribes from utility giant Commonwealth Edison. Jurors also convicted him on two counts of bribery and one Travel Act violation related to payments funneled to Madigan associates for do-nothing ComEd subcontracts. Madigan also was convicted on six out of seven counts — including wire fraud and Travel Act violations — regarding a plan to get ex-Ald. Daniel Solis, a key FBI mole who testified at length in the trial, appointed to a state board. But after 11 days of deliberation, the jury's final verdict was mixed, deadlocking on several counts — including the marquee racketeering conspiracy charge — and acquitting Madigan on numerous others. Jurors also deadlocked on all six counts related to Madigan's co-defendant, Michael McClain. The verdict came after a four-month trial and capped one of the most significant political corruption investigations in Chicago's sordid history. It also cemented an extraordinary personal fall for Madigan, the longest-serving state legislative leader in the nation's history who for decades held an iron-tight grip on the House as well as the state Democratic Party. This is a developing story. Check back for details. jmeisner@
