Illinois Commercial Electricity: Deregulated since 2007, Illinois offers full retail choice in ComEd and Ameren territories. Average commercial rate: 10-13¢/kWh (2026). Chicago-area businesses can save 8-15% by switching from utility default rates to competitive suppliers.
Illinois Commercial Natural Gas: Full gas choice via Nicor Gas, Peoples Gas, and North Shore Gas. Chicago Citygate is a major pricing hub. Businesses save 20-40% vs utility Purchased Gas Adjustment (PGA) rates. Gas Guide →
Chicago's ComEd territory offers robust supplier competition. Downstate Ameren customers also have full retail choice. Compare rates and start saving.
PJM capacity prices for the ComEd zone have hit record highs ($269.92/MW-day). Chicago-area commercial facilities can now earn approximately $120,000 annually per MW of curtailable load.
View PJM Demand Response (DR) Programs →EIA Average • Supply + Delivery
PJM Real-Time LMP • ¢/kWh
ComEd (Chicago area) operates in PJM, while Ameren (downstate) is in MISO. This means pricing dynamics differ between regions. Chicago often sees higher capacity costs due to PJM market structure.
Many Illinois municipalities offer opt-out aggregation programs. However, commercial accounts with significant load can often beat aggregation rates through direct supplier negotiation.
Illinois is a critical hub for North American natural gas infrastructure. With the Chicago Citygate serving as a major pricing point, businesses have access to liquid and competitive gas markets.
Nicor Gas, Peoples Gas, and North Shore Gas territories are all fully open to commercial choice. Locking in basis at Chicago Citygate is a key strategy for large users.
Winter weather in Chicago drives price volatility. Smart buyers hedge their winter usage during the spring/fall shoulder months to avoid February price spikes.
Read our Gas Procurement Guide →See how much your business could save in the Illinois market
ComEd serves 4 million customers including downtown Chicago. High commercial density means competitive supplier market with sophisticated products.
The Illinois Commerce Commission regulates utility delivery charges and ensures supplier compliance. ARES (Alternative Retail Electric Supplier) licenses are required.
Illinois RPS requires 25% renewable by 2026. Many suppliers offer 100% renewable energy products competitive with standard rates.
Our reverse auction process gets multiple suppliers competing for your business, driving down rates by an average of 12%.
Get Competitive Quotes →Latest news affecting Illinois commercial energy buyers
PJM initiates emergency out-of-market procurement workshops as the IMM points to data centers driving 40% of December auction costs. Utility delivery hikes expected.
PJM extends capacity price cap to 2030, projected to save 67 million customers $27 billion. January 2026 LMPs averaged $156.87/MWh — up 35% year-over-year.
PJM approves $11.8 billion in transmission projects while extending the capacity price collar to 2030. Analysis of impact on commercial electricity rates across PA, NJ, OH, MD, IL, and VA.
The DC Circuit Court upholds FERC's ban on EE resources in PJM capacity auctions, permanently removing gigawatts of 'paper capacity' and shifting focus entirely to active Demand Response.