How to Switch Electricity Providers in Illinois: Plug In Illinois Guide

To switch electricity providers in Illinois, compare your utility's price to compare with offers from alternative retail electric suppliers (ARES) on Plug In Illinois, the Illinois Commerce Commission's official electric choice website, then sign up with the supplier. Your utility mails a letter confirming the switch, and residential customers in ComEd and Ameren Illinois territories can rescind within 10 days of the utility processing the enrollment request.

Who regulates Illinois electric choice and where to compare

The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) regulates utilities and alternative retail electric suppliers. Its consumer site, Plug In Illinois (plugin.illinois.gov), calls itself "the Official Electric Choice Website of the Illinois Commerce Commission." It includes price-to-compare information for ComEd and Ameren Illinois, a Compare Offers section, and a list of communities with municipal aggregation programs (Plug In Illinois).

If a supplier or your utility fails to provide promised service, you can file a complaint online with the ICC or by phone at (800) 524-0795 (Plug In Illinois).

How electric choice works in Illinois

When you choose an ARES, you change only who supplies your electricity. Plug In Illinois explains that "no one will come to your home or business to flip a switch, and there is no disruption of service." You "will continue to call your electric utility for outages, emergency services," and your service quality "will not change as it continues to be regulated by the Illinois Commerce Commission" (Plug In Illinois).

What	Who handles it after you switch
Electricity supply	Your alternative retail electric supplier (ARES)
Delivery, wires and meter	Your utility (for example, ComEd or Ameren Illinois)
Outages and emergencies	Your utility
Service quality rules	Illinois Commerce Commission

Understand the price to compare

Plug In Illinois publishes a "Utility Price to Compare" for ComEd and Ameren Illinois customers (Plug In Illinois). This is the utility's supply price, and it is your benchmark: an offer has to beat it, after fees, for the supply part of your bill to go down. Delivery charges from your utility do not change based on your supplier.

Municipal aggregation

Some Illinois communities buy electricity in bulk on behalf of residents. Plug In Illinois lets you "see if your community has specific rate offers" and links to a list of municipal aggregation communities (Plug In Illinois). If your town has a program, compare its rate and terms with both the utility's price to compare and individual supplier offers.

Contract terms and early termination fees

Plug In Illinois advises customers to "ask about the length of the agreement and whether any early termination fees apply," and notes that suppliers' marketing must adequately disclose prices, terms and conditions (Plug In Illinois). Before you sign, make sure you know:

• The price per kWh and whether it is fixed or variable. See our fixed vs variable plan guide.
• The contract length and the end date.
• The early termination fee, if any.
• What happens when the contract ends, including any automatic renewal.
• Any monthly fees on top of the per-kWh price.

How long switching takes

"There is no deadline for choosing an electric supplier." After your new supplier notifies the utility, the utility contacts you by mail to confirm your selection. The change takes effect based on your meter reading schedule: "The effective date of your supplier change depends on your next meter read date" (Plug In Illinois).

Your right to rescind

According to Plug In Illinois, residential and small commercial customers in Ameren Illinois and ComEd territories "have the right to rescind an agreement with an alternative retail electric supplier (ARES) within 10 days of the utility processing the enrollment request." The utility must also notify you in writing of the scheduled enrollment and the new supplier's name (Plug In Illinois). Read that utility letter carefully as soon as it arrives.

Going back to the utility

You can return to your utility's supply service, but plan ahead. Plug In Illinois cautions that "you might have to stay on the utility's electric supply service for 12 months before you can select an ARES again" (Plug In Illinois). Ask your utility about the rule that applies to you before switching back.

Is switching worth it in Illinois?

Participation in Illinois has swung over the years. EIA reports that the share of Illinois customers in retail choice peaked at 57% in 2014 and fell to 31% by 2021 (EIA). Nationally, a 2019 EIA analysis found residential customers had generally paid more per kilowatt-hour through competitive suppliers than through their utilities (EIA). The lesson is not that every offer is a bad deal; it is that you should check each offer against the utility's price to compare for the full contract term, including fees.

Remember that only the supply portion of your bill changes. Your utility's delivery charges stay the same whoever supplies your electricity. To see the real dollar effect, subtract the offer price from the price to compare and multiply by your average monthly kWh. If the difference is small, a monthly fee or early termination fee can erase it.

What to have ready before you enroll

• A recent utility bill with your service address and 12 months of usage.
• The current utility price to compare from Plug In Illinois.
• Details of any current supplier or aggregation contract, including its end date.
• Written notes on the offer: price per kWh, term, fees and renewal terms, so you can check them against the utility's confirmation letter and your first bill.

Reading your bill after the switch

Once the switch takes effect, your bill should show your new supplier as the supplier, with generation or supply charges based on the price in your contract. The delivery section, including your utility's distribution charges, should look the same as before. Compare the supply price per kWh on that first bill with your contract. If it does not match, contact the supplier first, and keep a record of the call. If the problem is not fixed, you can bring it to the Illinois Commerce Commission.

Step-by-step checklist: switching electric suppliers in Illinois

1. Identify your utility (ComEd, Ameren Illinois or another) and find your monthly kWh usage on recent bills.
2. Look up your utility's price to compare on plugin.illinois.gov.
3. Check whether your community has municipal aggregation, and whether you are already enrolled.
4. If you already have a supplier, find your contract end date and any early termination fee.
5. Compare offers in the Compare Offers section of Plug In Illinois.
6. Read the full terms for price, length, fees and renewal before agreeing.
7. Enroll with the supplier. The supplier notifies your utility.
8. Read the utility's confirmation letter. If you change your mind, rescind within 10 days of the utility processing the enrollment.
9. Check the bill after your next meter read to confirm the new supplier and price.
10. Set a reminder well before the contract ends to compare again.

Red flags

• A salesperson who claims to represent ComEd, Ameren Illinois or the ICC.
• Requests for your utility account number before you have decided to enroll.
• Offers that do not clearly state the price, contract length and early termination fee.
• A low introductory price with no stated price afterward.
• A utility confirmation letter for a switch you never agreed to. Contact your utility and the ICC right away.

Next steps

Check typical costs on our Illinois electricity rates page, then enter any supplier price into the electric bill calculator to compare it with your utility's price to compare. For a wider view, see how bills differ by state on the average electric bill page.