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Chicago Tribune
16-07-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
ComEd's $10 million relief fund running out after 60,000 customers apply in first week
As Chicago continues to swelter in record summer heat, the $10 million ComEd customer relief fund is about to run dry. Nearly 60,000 customers have submitted applications since ComEd opened the window last week for the one-time grant, which was created to defray rising electric supply charges during peak air conditioning season. 'Based on the high demand seen, we anticipate the fund will soon close, and ComEd will make an announcement once funds are fully exhausted,' ComEd spokesperson Lauren Huffman said Wednesday. Exelon, the utility's Chicago-based parent company, is donating the relief money for the fund, which is being administered through Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago and The Salvation Army. The application process began July 7 and the agencies are currently sorting through thousands of customer requests seeking a share of the $10 million, Huffman said. The Customer Relief Fund will provide one-time grants of up to $500 for qualifying low- to moderate income customers, and $1,000 for nonprofit organizations in northern Illinois. ComEd customers can still apply for assistance at but time and the funds are both running out. The relief targets ComEd customers at or below 300% of the federal poverty level who are in arrears. ComEd residential customers approved for the relief funds will see the money appear as a one-time credit on an upcoming bill, wiping out up to $500 in past due balances. Grants will be awarded to qualified customers on a first-come, first-served basis, until the $10 million fund is gone, Huffman said. ComEd announced the relief fund last month, as electricity supply prices were set to rise. The cost for an average residential customer was expected to go up $10.60 per month beginning in June, according to ComEd. The increase was caused by a higher rate ComEd will pay for electricity over the next year, a supply cost which the utility passes through to customers. But June was hotter than normal, exacerbated by a heat dome which brought oppressive triple-digit temperatures and humidity to large swaths of the Midwest and East Coast for several weeks Chicago experienced its sixth hottest June on record, with average daily highs at 84.1 degrees – 3.7 degrees above normal, according to the National Weather Service. The heat kept air conditioners working overtime, which in turn raised electricity demand, bringing the increased supply cost right to the bottom line on ComEd customer bills. The supply charge generally represents about half of the monthly bill and does not benefit ComEd, which makes its profit on the delivery charges. The average residential ComEd customer paid $108 per month for the total bill, before the supply charge increased, the utility said. PJM Interconnection, a Pennsylvania-based regional transmission organization, manages the electricity supply grid for 13 states, including ComEd's 4.2 million customers in northern Illinois. It holds an annual capacity auction for expected reserve electricity needed during peak demand, and last year those supply prices skyrocketed. Results for the next PJM capacity auction are expected to be made public Tuesday, which will set the supply prices for ComEd and its customers for next year. ComEd said the retirement of fossil fuel plants and rising demand have put more pressure on the grid, contributing to higher supply prices. The utility also said delays in bringing a backlog of integrating wind, solar and other renewable energy suppliers into the grid is making it harder to replace lost capacity. Electric utilities and their customers across the country are navigating similar supply cost issues, including Ameren in downstate Illinois, where monthly bills are expected to spike 18% to 20% this summer. Exelon donated a total of $50 million to customer relief funds through its six utility companies, including BGE in Maryland, PECO in Pennsylvania and the $10 million for ComEd in Illinois. rchannick@
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
ComEd launching $10 million customer relief fund to offset spike in electricity prices
At the start of a spike in electricity supply charges, ComEd is announcing the launch of a $10 million relief fund to defray costs for low-income residential customers and nonprofit organizations facing a long, hot summer. Exelon, the utility's Chicago-based parent company, is donating the relief money, which will be administered through Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago and The Salvation Army to help customers behind in their bills, ahead of peak air-conditioning season. The Customer Relief Fund will provide one-time grants of up to $500 for qualifying low- to moderate-income customers, and $1,000 for nonprofit organizations in northern Illinois. ComEd customers can apply for assistance beginning July 7 at 'It is important to us that when we can help, even if it's only one time, we will do so, and this is one of those times,' ComEd CEO Gil Quiniones told the Tribune. 'It should help thousands of customers.' The cost for an average residential customer is expected to go up $10.60 per month beginning in June, according to ComEd. The increase is caused by a higher rate ComEd will pay for electricity over the next year, a supply cost which the utility passes through to customers. The monthly capacity charge would have added closer to $14.86 per customer, the utility said, but part of the increase was offset by a provision of the state's Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, which requires ComEd to issue a credit when energy prices go above a certain level. The supply charge represents about half of the monthly bill and does not benefit ComEd, which makes its profit on the delivery charges. The average residential ComEd customer pays $108 per month for the total bill, before the expected supply charge increase, the utility said. PJM Interconnection, a Pennsylvania-based regional transmission organization, manages the electricity supply grid for 13 states, including ComEd's 4.2 million customers in northern Illinois. It holds an annual capacity auction for expected reserve electricity needed during peak demand, and last year those supply prices skyrocketed. ComEd said the retirement of fossil fuel plants and rising demand have put more pressure on the grid, contributing to higher supply prices. The utility also said a backlog of integrating wind, solar and other renewable energy suppliers into the grid is making it harder to replace lost capacity. 'It's the imbalance of supply and demand and those renewable projects getting stuck that has caused this increase in capacity costs,' Quiniones said. Electric utilities and their customers across the country are navigating similar supply cost issues, including Ameren in downstate Illinois, where monthly bills are expected to spike 18% to 20% this summer. Exelon is donating a total of $50 million to customer relief funds through its six utility companies, including BGE in Maryland, PECO in Pennsylvania and the $10 million for ComEd in Illinois. The supply cost spike is projected to increase the average ComEd residential customer bill by about 10% over the next 12 months, but the costs could run higher this summer during peak air-conditioning season. Chicago is forecast to have a hotter-than-average summer, according to the National Weather Service. The relief targets ComEd residential customers at or below 300% of the federal poverty level who are in arrears. Applications can be submitted online through the ComEd portal beginning July 7. ComEd residential customers approved for the relief funds will see the money appear as a one-time credit on an upcoming bill, wiping out up to $500 in past due balances. 'At The Salvation Army, we believe every family deserves to live in a home where basic needs like electricity aren't a source of stress or hardship,' Salvation Army Divisional Cmdr. Lt. Colonel Jonathan Rich said in a news release. 'The Customer Relief Fund will make a real difference for people, and we're proud of our collaboration with ComEd to keep working toward long-term solutions that bring stability and dignity to communities across northern Illinois.' ComEd customers are already dealing with an increase on the delivery portion of the bill this year. In December, the Illinois Commerce Commission approved the utility's power grid improvement plan, increasing electric bills by more than $600 million over four years. The approved grid plan will result in an average delivery increase of $1.84 to monthly residential bills each year through 2027, according to ComEd. rchannick@
Chicago Tribune
12-06-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
ComEd launching $10 million customer relief fund to offset spike in electricity prices
At the start of a spike in electricity supply charges, ComEd is announcing the launch of a $10 million relief fund to defray costs for low-income residential customers and non-profit organizations who may be facing a long, hot summer. Exelon, the utility's Chicago-based parent company, is donating the relief money, which will be administered through Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago and The Salvation Army to help customers behind in their bills, ahead of peak air-conditioning season. The Customer Relief Fund will provide one-time grants of up to $500 for qualifying low- to moderate-income customers, and $1,000 for nonprofit organizations in northern Illinois. ComEd customers can apply for assistance beginning July 7 at 'It is important to us that when we can help, even if it's only one time, we will do so, and this is one of those times,' ComEd CEO Gil Quiniones told the Tribune. 'It should help thousands of customers.' The cost for an average residential customer is expected to go up $10.60 per month beginning in June, according to ComEd. The increase is caused by a higher rate ComEd will pay for electricity over the next year, a supply cost which the utility passes through to customers. The monthly capacity charge would have added closer to $14.86 per customer, the utility said, but part of the increase was offset by a provision of the state's Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, which requires ComEd to issue a credit when energy prices go above a certain level. The supply charge represents about half of the monthly bill and does not benefit ComEd, which makes its profit on the delivery charges. The average residential ComEd customer pays $108 per month for the total bill, before the expected supply charge increase, the utility said. PJM Interconnection, a Pennsylvania-based regional transmission organization, manages the electricity supply grid for 13 states, including ComEd's 4.2 million customers in northern Illinois. It holds an annual capacity auction for expected reserve electricity needed during peak demand, and last year those supply prices skyrocketed. ComEd said the retirement of fossil fuel plants and rising demand have put more pressure on the grid, contributing to higher supply prices. The utility also said a backlog of integrating wind, solar and other renewable energy suppliers into the grid is making it harder to replace lost capacity. 'It's the imbalance of supply and demand and those renewable projects getting stuck that has caused this increase in capacity costs,' Quiniones said. Electric utilities and their customers across the country are navigating similar supply cost issues, including Ameren in downstate Illinois, where monthly bills are expected to spike 18% to 20% this summer. Exelon is donating a total of $50 million to customer relief funds through its six utility companies, including BGE in Maryland, PECO in Pennsylvania and the $10 million for ComEd in Illinois. The supply cost spike is projected to increase the average ComEd residential customer bill by about 10% over the next 12 months, but the costs could run higher this summer during peak air-conditioning season. Chicago is forecast to have a hotter-than-average summer, according to the National Weather Service. The relief targets ComEd residential customers at or below 300% of the federal poverty level who are in arrears. Applications can be submitted online through the ComEd portal beginning July 7. ComEd residential customers approved for the relief funds will see the money appear as a one-time credit on an upcoming bill, wiping out up to $500 in past due balances. 'At The Salvation Army, we believe every family deserves to live in a home where basic needs like electricity aren't a source of stress or hardship,' Salvation Army Divisional Cmdr. Lt. Colonel Jonathan Rich said in a news release. 'The Customer Relief Fund will make a real difference for people, and we're proud of our collaboration with ComEd to keep working toward long-term solutions that bring stability and dignity to communities across northern Illinois.' ComEd customers are already dealing with an increase on the delivery portion of the bill this year. In December, the Illinois Commerce Commission approved the utility's power grid improvement plan, increasing electric bills by more than $600 million over four years. The approved grid plan will result in an average delivery increase of $1.84 to monthly residential bills each year through 2027, according to ComEd. rchannick@
