Illinois Com-Ed Bills Go Up June 1st-What It Means To Your Wallet

Taxes and fees, taxes and fees, taxes and fees. Why write the same three words over and over again? It's because those words are the most given answer when people are asked why they moved away from the state of Illinois, or why they may do so in the future.

When nearly 50 percent of Illinoisans polled would move to another state right now if they could, you get the idea that we're being taxed and hit with added fees every time we turn around.

You'll probably remember back in 2019 when newly-elected Governor JB Pritzker effectively doubled Illinois' motor fuel tax from 19 cents per gallon to 38 cents per gallon to help pay for a $45 billion capital infrastructure plan. He also built in annual increases in the motor fuel tax, so on July 1st, Illinois' goes up again.

Enough about the motor fuel tax. That doesn't happen for a little over a month, but your electric bill will be going up in a little over 10 days, and you'll notice it.

Why Are Illinois' ComEd Bills Going Up? You Can Blame Something Called The "Capacity Charge"

So, what exactly is a "Capacity Charge?" That's a great question, and one I asked myself as I was trying to figure this out.

Looking at the announcement on ComEd's website, a Capacity Charge is happening because of a significant jump in the capacity auction price, which is a price that utilities pay to ensure they have enough electricity generation capacity to meet demand. The auction price goes up, which brings about the Capacity Charge on your bill.

ComEd:

The Capacity Charge is a standard item on all customers’ bills and changes every June based on your energy usage from the previous summer and the Capacity Charge Rate, which is determined by electricity market conditions.

Energy prices are driven by supply and demand. Large power generators sell this electricity supply to ComEd and we pass this cost directly to you. Because of factors like extreme weather, spikes from high energy users like data centers, and other factors, demand is outpacing supply, so costs are getting more expensive.

Okay, Illinois' Motor Fuel Tax Increase Will Cost The Average Illinois Driver Around $140 More Per Year--How Much Will ComEd's Capacity Charge Cost?

The answer to that is: Probably more than the motor fuel tax increase will cost you.

A customer using 500 kilowatt-hours of electricity per month can expect to see an increase of approximately $7.50 to $10.00 per month, according to Citizens Utility Board (CUB). Some recent estimates suggest an average increase of about $10.50 a month, from June 1st, 2025 to May 31st, 2026, according to ElectricityRates.com. 

To calculate what you'll be paying, ComEd says to just multiple your “Capacity Obligation” with your “Capacity Charge Rate” to get your “Capacity Charge.”

The “Capacity Obligation” is specific to each customer and represents expected energy usage during high-demand hours on hot summer afternoons.