Compare Electricity & Natural Gas Rates in Illinois

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Karen McNealy has been such a pleasure to work with.  She has gone above and beyond to keep costs lower for our Billboard Business. Anything that I’ve asked she has worked diligently to accomplish.  Thank you, Karen!

– Coy Johnson

Why CES?

Getting the best electricity and natural gas rates in Illinois can be hard. Prices fluctuate, and different companies will quote you different rates. And, as a small business, you likely don’t have the negotiating power to argue for better rates–you’re stuck taking what is given to you.

Over the past 22 years we have helped over 519,000 businesses take charge of their energy costs. With a combined usage of 18 billion KwH and 18.9 million MCF we have the experience, buying power and relationships to help navigate your business through this volatile energy market and get the best pricing available.

We’ve saved our clients 10’s of millions of dollars, and getting a quote from us is fast, easy, and free.

Illinois electricity rates over time

Over the past 20 years Electricity rates have steadily increased in Illinois and are currently 2x higher today than they were back in 2001. 

If you consider the current state of the global energy market, the war in Ukraine, Europe shutting down nuclear power plants and moving from Russia’s natural gas, and inflation running rampant, energy prices are projected to continue trending upward.

Commercial Energy Rates in Illinois

Unlike states with regulated energy industries, companies in Illinois can choose who their energy provider will be. This energy deregulation means that there is no single mandated energy or utility company that a business must do business with. Instead, you can get your Illinois electricity and natural gas rates from whichever source you choose.

This doesn’t mean you are switching from your utility, you are simply choosing who supplies your energy and then the utility delivers it to your business.

Consumer Energy Solutions is an Energy Broker – Is That a Utility?

No, Consumer Energy Solutions is not a utility company. Utility companies maintain and operate the infrastructure of the energy system, including power lines, transformers, and generators. An example in Illinois is ComEd, which provides electricity to homes and businesses.

Energy brokers, like us, work with the top suppliers in every market and are designed to connect the energy supplier with the energy buyer, whether they be a business or private residence. Since we’ve been in business for more than 22 years we have built relationships and trust with these suppliers to get us the best deals possible that we can pass on to you. This means that we not only have access to the best prices in the energy supplier business, but we are able to negotiate for the best rates in every area, and then match the energy buyer with the best possible rate available to them. When a business gets pricing from us, they know that we get quotes from every one of the 25+ energy suppliers in the area, and deliver you the best price.

Our Process

Our entire job is to take the stress and work out of finding the correct energy supplier who will give you the most favorable contract and best price available today. We do all the work and it costs you nothing, all we need is a copy of your bill.

1. With a copy of your bill, we can analyze your historical usage, rate class, zone, and load profile along with the number of accounts you manage to ensure you will receive the best rate(s) your account(s) qualifies for.

If you are currently under contract, we can still help with forward start pricing. We have the capability of locking in today’s low rates for when your current agreement(s) ends.

This will not have any negative effect on your current agreement. In most cases we represent the supplier you are currently with. So, we have the capability of pricing your accounts directly to negotiate on your behalf.

2. We will take this information and get quotes from 25+ suppliers in your area and leverage our relationships to negotiate preferential rates for you then relay that deal to you.

3. We use our knowledge of the current energy market to recommend what type of rate and contract is best for your business.

4. Once we have the agreement between you and the energy supplier we will walk you through the terms and conditions, like legal information and cancellation fees, or answer any other questions you may have before you sign.

5. Once everything is signed you’ll be introduced to one of our customer service representatives who will assist you with any future questions.

Types of Energy Plans Available in Illinois

There are different types of energy plans that consumers can sign up for, but the main two are variable-rate and fixed-rate plans. Each has its benefits.

Fixed Electricity Rates and Fixed Natural Gas Rates

A fixed-rate plan, as the name suggests, will have a firm and unchanging price that will last the length of the contract. No matter the weather–hot or cold–severe storms, or even market volatility, the fixed rate will not change for the length of the contract. These contracts are typically for 6, 12, 24, or 36 months, but can go up to 5 years. Fixed-rate energy plans in Illinois are the most commonly used plans, and the plan that we recommend using for most businesses

Variable Electricity Rates and Variable Natural Gas Rates

Variable-rate plans change month-to-month based on the fluctuations in the market. Because of this there is a chance for the rate to drop and you will pay less for a period, but there’s also a chance that the rate could go much higher. Factors that can cause this include oil & natural gas pipelines being shut down, world events, government regulations/tax changes, or an infrastructure problem. This all means that your monthly electricity bill will not be the same month-to-month, and you may end up with a surprise. We don’t recommend variable-rate plans for most businesses. 

Consumer Energy Solutions Works With Renewable Energy

In 2021, renewable energy, including small-scale, customer-sited solar panel systems accounted for 11% of Illinois’ in-state electricity generation, almost triple the amount generated a decade earlier.

It is quite easy for consumers to switch to a renewable energy plan in Illinois. Those plans, however, can have some unique challenges such as limited capacity or increased costs on some occasions. If a renewable energy plan interests you contact us today to check availability and if these plans can meet your business’ needs.

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