Consumer groups hand deliver 10k comments opposing $144M Peoples Gas
rate hike
[October 30, 2026]
By Maggie Dougherty
CHICAGO — Environmental and consumer advocates marched through downtown
Chicago on Thursday to deliver more than 10,000 petitions urging
regulators to reject Peoples Gas’ latest rate case.
“The Chicagoans who have made comments have made it clear that the
change we’re calling for can’t wait any longer,” said Levi Orgas, an
associate with Illinois Public Interest Research Group. “Today, we renew
our call to the Illinois Commerce Commission, made louder by thousands
of Chicagoans, to end the pipe replacement program as we know it and to
slash the rate hike.”
Advocates assembled to speak with the media before carrying the
petitions several blocks to a public meeting of the ICC, which is
responsible for approving, rejecting or modifying the rate increase. It
is expected to issue a final order in November.
Peoples Gas, which delivers natural gas to nearly 900,000 customers in
the city of Chicago, requested a $202 million rate increase in January,
before lowering the ask to $144 million. If approved in full by the ICC,
the new rate would increase average household bills by $7-8 per month
starting in 2027.
Administrative law judges at the ICC submitted a proposed order earlier
this month that recommended lowering the rate hike to $66.2 million, but
advocates are calling for even deeper cuts and seeking an overhaul of
the utility’s long-embattled program to retire aging lead pipes that run
below Chicago’s streets.
Peoples Gas spokesman David Schwartz said the spending was necessary to
retire 1,000 miles of pipes as directed by the commission and
characterized the advocates’ demonstration as political.
“It’s unfortunate that political groups continue trying to mislead
Chicagoans,” Schwartz said in a statement. “These activists want to
force Chicagoans onto an all-electric heating system that costs $75,000
per home to install, would double or triple heating bills, and would be
much less reliable. No Chicagoan wants that.”
Orgas acknowledged that electrification has variable up-front costs, but
said electrification is often a cheaper solution in the long run and
would be necessary as the state moves toward its carbon-free goals.
She also objected to Schwartz’s framing of choice.
“Gas isn’t a choice. Gas was in your home when you moved in, or in your
apartment when you moved in,” Orgas said. “You didn’t choose that
either, and no one’s being forced to electrify their homes.”
The advocates at Thursday’s demonstration continued their call for an
overhaul to the ICC’s pipe retirement mandate, instead seeking greater
emphasis on non-pipe alternatives and more targeted prioritization of
the most at-risk pipes.
People, profits
Speaking to reporters before delivering the petitions, advocates from
the Citizens Utility Board, Illinois PIRG, and other groups outlined
residents’ bill concerns.
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Consumer and environmental advocates are asking the Illinois
Commerce Commission to reject Peoples Gas’ $144 million rate
increase request. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Maggie Dougherty)
“As a member of CUB’s outreach team, I often talk to Peoples Gas
customers who are struggling to afford their heating bills,” said Karen
Tolentino, CUB Español’s outreach coordinator. “The numbers show that
the utilities’ reckless spending on their pipeline program has sparked a
heating affordability crisis here in the city.”
State data shows that nearly one in five Peoples Gas customers were at
least 30 days behind on their bills as of September, the latest data
available.
That challenge is felt especially acutely by senior residents, according
to AARP Illinois President Al Hollenbeck, who read testimonials from
AARP members.
“Mary has arthritis and neuropathy. She has to keep the heat high in the
winter. Her sole source of income: Social Security,” Hollenbeck said.
“Eunice tells us, ‘Sure seems like the executives and the shareholders
of People Gas are doing pretty well. Not me.’”
The demonstration fell on the same day as Peoples Gas’ parent company
WEC Energy Group released its third-quarter earnings report, showing a
43.5% increase in profits for shareholders compared to the same time
last year.
Peoples Gas rejected the connection, pointing out that WEC Energy serves
customers in four Midwestern States. The earnings of the parent company
have “practically nothing to do with Peoples Gas,” the company said,
adding that the earnings were driven by warmer weather and large
commercial customers in Wisconsin.
Peoples Gas offers financial assistance and heating grants for qualified
customers. Those looking for bill assistance can find more information
here or by reaching out to the company directly by phone or email.
But Jack Darin, director of the Sierra Club’s Illinois chapter, pointed
to the emphasis on affordability in political messaging in the lead up
to the November midterm elections.
“As that date approaches, it seems like everyone is telling us their
plans for making our lives more affordable,” Darin said. “Everyone, that
is, except for major fossil fuel corporations like Peoples Gas.”
Capitol News Illinois is
a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government
coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily
by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick
Foundation.
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