Illinois faces many thorny economic challenges in the coming months, but it can easily solve one of them if the Illinois Commerce Commission acts quickly on a proposal now before it. After months of discussion, more than a dozen stakeholders have reached common ground on a plan that will save millions for hard-pressed businesses and assure genuine electricity competition in northern Illinois.
The unprecedented agreement brings together such diverse groups as Commonwealth Edison, the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, the Illinois Manufacturers Association, the Building Owners and Managers Association of Chicago, Trizec Properties, the City of Chicago, the Cook County state’s attorney, the Citizens Utility Board and ComEd competitors, including Constellation New Energy, MidAmerican Energy and AmerenEnergy, among others.
The end result will be healthy competition here in Illinois, with a diversity of suppliers, savings for customers and a more reliable delivery system.
If the ICC approves, ComEd will not only pay more than $50 million this year to fund environmental and energy assistance initiatives to benefit residents of Chicago but also lower certain fees it currently charges business customers and provide opportunities for these businesses to plan for the future. All customers in the ComEd area get immediate savings and benefits.
Some of the issues resolved by this agreement have been debated, investigated and litigated in front of the ICC for nearly two years.
Important deadlines for promoting competition are only weeks away.
More delay at this point would deliver a major setback–opportunities for savings would be lost and thousands of customers may be forced back to ComEd and away from the competitive market.
It’s not often that traditional adversaries like utilities, business customers and consumer watchdogs all come together on an issue this important.
After this latest review is complete, it would be a shame if the ICC fails to seize this moment in time and the wonderful opportunity it brings.
