At the press event, Illinois PIRG's Brian Imus called on state lawmakers to ensure proper oversight of the rates utilities are charging customers and encourage energy efficiency and conservation programs.

How You Can Help
ComEd/Exelon are moving forward with a plan that will mean dramatically larger electricity bills for Illinois customers.

Please contact your state representative and ask them to support H.B. 5766. This bill will extend the current electricity rate freeze already in place to prevent utilities from charging consumers unfair rate hikes.

Background
Energy costs are expected to skyrocket for Illinois families next year. But Illinoisans have no choice in who sells us our power, and state officials aren't holding the utility companies accountable to keep prices fair.

Even though ComEd/Exelon, the most profitable utility in the country, and Ameren, our other major provider, enjoyed record profits last year, they’re proposing a new pricing plan that could hike rates by as much as 35 percent across Illinois.

Illinois PIRG is fighting to keep energy prices fair and affordable. We need state lawmakers to refuse any rate increases until utilities implement energy efficiency measures with a proven track record of lowering energy costs for consumers. We also need them to ensure there is adequate oversight by state regulators to make sure that energy companies aren’t gouging us. More.

Resources
Exelon’s Secret Meetings Underscore Threats to Ratepayers 4/14/06

Testimony
Testimony before the Committee of the Whole 2/27/07