ILLINOIS RATEPAYER FUNDED PROGRAMS

CURRENT PROGRAMS
Rate Assistance
  • Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP)
    • Eligibility: Customers of Ameren Illinois, ComEd, Nicor Gas and Peoples Gas/North Shore Gas earning 150% FPG or less
    • Participants pay 6% of their income for gas and electric service plus any amount over the maximum monthly benefit that goes towards their utility bill. Note: This program was suspended July 1, 2015 due to state budget discussions and was reinstated September 1, 2016.
  • Residential Special Hardship (RSH)
    • Eligibility: ComEd customers at 250% FPG or less, experiencing hardship such as job loss, illness; PIPP customers ineligible
    • Grants of up to $500 every 2 years for seniors and families; up to $1,000 every 2 years for qualified military personnel
Arrears Management
  • Arrearage Reduction Component
    • Participants that make monthly PIPP payments on time receive a monthly credit amounting to 1/12th of past due bills, up to $1,000/year for gas bills; same amount for electric bills
Energy Efficiency
  • Ratepayer funding supplements federal Weatherization Assistance Program; measures include furnace repair/ replacement
Participating Utilities
  • PIPP and energy efficiency: Ameren Illinois, ComEd, Nicor Gas and Peoples Gas/North Shore Gas
Annual Funding (2015)
  • PIPP and other rate assistance: $72.7 million
  • RSH: $10 million
  • Energy Efficiency: $1 million
Households Served (2015)
  • PIPP: 55,863
  • RSH: 22,000
  • Energy Efficiency: NA
Funding Mechanism
  • PIPP, Arrears Reduction and Energy Efficiency: Meters charge of $0.48/month per residential electric and gas account; $4.80 to $360 per month for non-residential/commercial-industrial accounts depending on size
  • RSH: Energy Infrastructure Modernization Act (SB1652)
Administration
  • PIPP, arrears reduction and energy efficiency: IL Dept of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
  • RSH: ComEd
LEGISLATION
Authorizing
305 ILCS 20/ (Energy Assistance Act) authorizes SLEAF, PIPP
Other Important
Energy Infrastructure Modernization Act (SB1652)
REPORTS / EVALUATIONS