Illinois Power Companies

The shape of power companies in Illinois has changed as the state’s energy choice laws have begun. Illinois consumers, prior to electric choice, were forced to buy their power supply from monopolies who were regulated by the Illinois Commerce Commission. Illinois electric choice has allowed new power companies to enter the market, however the old regulated power companies still serve a very important role.

The incumbent power companies of Illinois, Commonwealth Edison and Ameren, were once responsible for all phases of the energy business for their given territories. This included purchasing power from generation facilities and then delivering that power to homes and businesses throughout Illinois.

Illinois electric choice has taken the power purchase responsibility away from ComEd and Ameren so that they can focus on delivering the power to properties, as well as responding to power failures and emergencies. Choice allows customers to purchase power from a variety of power companies, some of which might focus on providing electricity at the cheapest rate, while some might market themselves as clean power companies who sell green energy.

As the energy choice landscape in Illinois continues to mature, consumers can expect to see more power companies marketing their service. Aleady several licensed power companies are offering electricity rates to customers of ComEd at steep discounts compared to the ComEd default rates. If you can lock in a fixed rate that is lower than the default price to compare, than you will save money on your monthly electric bill. Below are some low rate options in ComEd.