UPDATED 5:54 P.M.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Some special interest groups in Illinois are calling on lawmakers to end a natural gas surcharge Ameren and other utilities tack on to your energy bill, a charge that they claim seems to just keep getting higher.
“Just last month, we heard heartbreaking stories from hundreds of members across the state,” said Jeff Scott, Associate State Director, AARP Illinois. “Some have seen their gas bill triple in the last couple of months, and many are unfortunately behind on their bill.”
Scott says his agency has been against the Qualified Infrastructure Plant surcharge since it was first enacted almost ten years ago. The groups claim the QIP charge allows utilities to recoup some of their infrastructure costs more quickly, and with less oversight.
“This legislation will not shut down infrastructure spending, as the utilities will claim,” said Bryan McDaniel, Director of Governmental Affairs, Citizens Utility Board. “It will simply transition it to traditional regulatory overnight. This bill will slow the breakneck pace of rate hikes people in all corners of this state have been experiencing.”
The groups claim Ameren has finished replacing cast iron natural gas pipes, but still won a $76 million increase on customer bills last year.
“By law, the Illinois Commerce Commission must review our infrastructure investments to ensure they are reasonable and prudent. CUB has been involved in numerous hearings and participates in the regulatory process,” Ameren said, in a statement. “For [Citizen’s Utility Board] to say that ICC isn’t doing its job is irresponsible and is misleading the public.”
Ameren said natural gas prices increases this year have had nothing to do with their infrastructure work.
House Bill 5941 and Senate Bill 570 were introduced in 2021, but just recently received committee assignments. They are not yet up for votes in the Illinois General Assembly.
