Madigan to Fight Automatic ComEd Rate Increases

Attorney General Lisa Madigan has promised to fight legislation in Springfield currently being championed by ComEd that would lock in rate hikes automatically over the next decade to finance a $2.6 billion infrastructure improvement project.

The legislation proposed by Orland Park Democratic State Rep. Kevin McCarthy, if passed, means that the Illinois Commerce Commission would be relegated to an after-the-fact review to make sure the rate hikes by ComEd and other electricity providers in Illinois reflect the actual work done to improve power grids. A spokeswoman for the Attorney General's office wrote in an e-mail to Crain's Chicago Business:

“We have some serious concerns about the proposal in its current form and are strenuously opposed to it. It will seriously harm consumers. We expect this to be a hard-fought issue."

Utility watchdog groups such as the Citizens Utility Board are also opposed to the legislation. ComEd is selling the proposal as a job-creator, with the Illinois Chamber of Commerce supporting the measure.

This is the latest gambit in which ComEd has sought a rate increase. During last year's legislative session, ComEd sought a similar measure, but tied it to an offer of $500 million to help the state's fight its budget deficit. ComEd also has a proposed rate hike of $396 million pending with the ICC.