Illinois · electric utility
ComEd Price to Compare & rate increases
ComEd is a Exelon Corporation utility serving northern Illinois — Chicago, its suburbs, and the I-80 corridor (about 4 million customers). ComEd is Illinois's largest electric utility (founded 1907); it owns no power plants and passes PJM supply and capacity costs through to customers with no markup. (source)
Price to Compare (current rate)
10.399¢/kWh
Effective (current) · last reviewed
Estimate for comparison — confirm the current rate and all charges with ComEd before acting. Not advice.
Next scheduled reset: · Seasonal (summer Jun–Sep / non-summer Oct–May). Every utility's reset calendar →
Of the 2 Illinois utilities we track, ComEd's Price to Compare is the lowest — the range runs from 10.399¢ (ComEd) to 11.326¢ (Ameren Illinois). Compare all Illinois rates →
What it means: a ComEd customer on a 17¢/kWh third-party supplier rate pays about $680 more per year than the Price to Compare (10.399¢), based on ~860 kWh/month. The audit below checks your actual rate.
The worth-it line: for a switch to save at least $10/month at ~750 kWh, a supplier offer must be a fixed rate below 9.07¢/kWh — with no monthly fee and no cancellation fee. Offers between 9.07¢ and 10.399¢ technically "beat" the Price to Compare but save too little to justify contract risk. The full math, all utilities →
Rate history & trends — ComEd
ComEd's supply-only Price to Compare (PTC) is seasonal: 10.399¢/kWh for summer (June 1–Sept 30, 2026) and 9.689¢/kWh for non-summer (Oct 1–May 31, 2026). The rate is a pass-through — ComEd earns no markup on supply. Before the PJM capacity spike, the supply rate ran well below 8¢/kWh; by June 2025 it had added roughly $10.60/month for a typical household.
| Period | Supply rate (¢/kWh) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Non-summer 2026 (current) | 9.689¢ | ComEd Price to Compare, Oct 1 – May 31, 2026 |
| Summer 2026 (current) | 10.399¢ | ComEd Price to Compare, June 1 – Sept 30, 2026 |
| Pre-PJM-spike baseline (2024) | — | Roughly 7–8¢ supply; PJM 2024/25 capacity cleared at $28.92/MW-day before the 9× spike |
Source: ComEd Price to Compare (seasonal PTC) — confirm at comed.com/PriceToCompare. Supply rates reset on regulatory schedules — confirm the current rate with your utility or state commission before relying on any figure here. "est." = estimated from known inputs, not directly published.
ComEd customer service & quick facts
The official ways to reach ComEd for outages, billing, and account help. RateWatchdog is independent and not affiliated with ComEd — these are the utility's own channels.
- Pay your bill
- Pay ComEd bill online →
Verified · confirm on ComEd's siteHere to check if your rate is too high? Jump to the audit ↓
Is your supplier charging more?
Runs entirely in your browser. We never see your numbers.
Where is this on my bill?
On your bill, find the supply rate in ¢/kWh. Your utility's standard rate is the “Price to Compare.” If your supplier charges more than that, you're overpaying.
Comparing suppliers against ComEd's Price to Compare?
Illinois's official comparison tool is Plug In Illinois, run by the ICC. Illinois's official comparison site is the ICC's Plug In Illinois (plugin.illinois.gov) — our guide explains how to use it, how private marketplaces differ, and the ComEd (PJM) vs Ameren (MISO) split most sales pitches get wrong.
How to use Plug In Illinois — the full guide →Is ComEd a monopoly? Can you switch?
For delivery, yes — it's a monopoly. ComEd is the only company that runs the poles and wires to homes in its territory, so you can't pick a different company to deliver your power. That part is a regulated monopoly: ComEd, owned by Exelon Corporation, can only charge what the ICC approves in a rate case.
The electricity itself, though, is open to competition. You can buy your supply from a third-party supplier, or do nothing and stay on ComEd's default rate — the Price to Compare the ICC oversees. Switching suppliers doesn't change who delivers your power or who you call during an outage; it only changes the supply line on your bill. And if a supplier is charging more than the Price to Compare, you can drop it and return to that regulated rate, usually within one or two billing cycles — no fee to the utility.
How often does ComEd's power go out?
Federal reliability data, reported by the utility to the U.S. government. SAIDI is the average total time a customer is without power in a year; SAIFI is the average number of outages.
In 2024, including major storms
2 hr 12 min
without power, across about 0.7 outages
What the average customer actually experienced.
On a typical day (storms excluded)
36 min
without power, across about 0.5 outages
Normal operations, with major event days removed.
For ComEd, major storms drove roughly 73% of 2024's total outage time — the gap between the two numbers above is weather the utility couldn't fully control.
On normal-day reliability, ComEd is the most reliable of the 2 Illinois utilities we track — the range runs from 36 min (ComEd) to 2 hr 1 min (Ameren Illinois) of typical-day outage time per year.
Source: U.S. EIA Form EIA-861, 2024 reliability data (IEEE 1366 standard), for Commonwealth Edison Co. eia.gov →
How often does ComEd disconnect customers for nonpayment?
Utilities report this to the federal government. It counts residential service disconnected for unpaid bills. A high rate isn't proof of wrongdoing — it's shaped by local poverty, climate, and how strong a state's shutoff-protection rules are, as much as by the utility itself.
Disconnections in 2024
95,605
times ComEd disconnected residential customers for nonpayment
Per 100 households
2.6
disconnections for every 100 residential customers it serves
That's the lowest disconnection rate of the 2 Illinois utilities we track — the range runs from 2.6 per 100 (ComEd) to 6.8 per 100 (Ameren Illinois).
Counts disconnection events — one household can be shut off more than once. From ComEd's own filings to the U.S. EIA (Form EIA-112, Residential Utility Disconnections Survey), first collected for 2024. eia.gov →
Where your bill money goes: how ComEd earns its profit
Because ComEd is a regulated monopoly, its profit isn't set by competing for customers — it's set by regulators. The ICC authorizes a target return on equity (around 9.5% to 10.5% for U.S. electric utilities) on the money it sinks into poles, wires, substations, and meters. It's a target, not a guarantee — a utility can earn above or below it — but a low-risk regulated monopoly reliably lands close. You pay that return back, plus the investment itself, through the delivery charge on every bill.
ComEd is owned by Exelon. In 2024, Exelon reported about $2.5 billion in net income — its profit across all of the utilities it owns, not ComEd alone. Source: Exelon's annual report (SEC Form 10-K, fiscal year 2024). SEC EDGAR →
That authorized return is set by regulators on the utility's investment — independently of how reliable the service is or how many customers are disconnected, the two measures above.
Rate cases & increases
- 24-0181 effective
ComEd's 2024–2027 multi-year integrated grid plan and rate plan. The ICC's Dec. 19, 2024 decision cut the request 11% to an overall increase of $606 million over four years and held the return on equity at 8.905%. Per-customer impact varies by usage.
Common questions about ComEd
- What is the current ComEd rate per kWh in Illinois?
- ComEd's Price to Compare (supply only) is 10.399¢/kWh for summer (June 1–Sept 30, 2026) and 9.689¢/kWh for non-summer (Oct 1–May 31). Your total bill also includes ComEd's delivery charge. Confirm the current rate at comed.com/PriceToCompare before relying on any figure.
- Why did my ComEd bill go up so much in 2026?
- Two costs stacked: (1) The PJM capacity market — the regional grid's retainer fee for backup power — cleared at the $333/MW-day price cap in July 2025, adding roughly $10.60/month to a typical ComEd bill starting June 2025. (2) ComEd's delivery charge is rising under a multi-year rate plan (ICC Case 24-0181). These are separate charges on your bill.
- What is the ComEd Price to Compare?
- The Price to Compare (PTC) is ComEd's current default supply rate — the number to measure any third-party supplier offer against. It's the supply cost only, not your total bill. ComEd updates it twice a year (summer and non-summer). Any supplier offer above the PTC costs you more on supply.
- Is ComEd's rate going up in 2026?
- The supply (PTC) rate resets with PJM capacity auction results and can go up or down. The 2026/27 PJM auction cleared at $329/MW-day, so upward supply pressure continues. On the delivery side, ICC Case 24-0181 adds a multi-year distribution rate plan. Check comed.com/PriceToCompare for the latest seasonal figure.
- Who is the cheapest electricity supplier in Illinois?
- Illinois is deregulated — third-party suppliers can offer electricity to ComEd customers. After recent PJM capacity spikes, many supplier offers have moved at or above the PTC. Always compare any offer against ComEd's current Price to Compare on the ICC's official Plug In Illinois site (plugin.illinois.gov) before switching.
- How do I lower my ComEd electric bill?
- First, check whether you're on a third-party supplier — if they're charging more than ComEd's PTC, returning to ComEd supply is an immediate fix. Second, ask ComEd about CARE (income-qualified bill discount) and Budget Billing (level payments). Third, reduce usage during peak periods, especially summer afternoons when grid costs run highest.
Programs that can help with ComEd bills
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LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program)
Federal program providing one-time utility bill help for income-qualified Illinois households. Administered through Community Action Agencies across the state.
-
ComEd CARE (Customer Assistance for Residential Energy)
ComEd's income-based bill discount program — a monthly credit on your bill for qualifying customers. Apply directly with ComEd.
-
CHAMP (Customers Having Affordability and Management Problems)
A ComEd program that offers arrearage forgiveness and payment plan options for customers facing long-term affordability challenges.
-
Averages your annual usage into equal monthly payments — eliminates summer bill spikes. Enroll online or by calling ComEd.
Income limits, program calendars, and enrollment rules change — confirm eligibility and current availability before applying. Full bill-help guide for your state →
Why did ComEd rates go up so much?
Two separate cost drivers stacked on each other starting in 2025.
The first is PJM capacity market costs — the regional grid's annual auction for backup power reserves. In July 2024, the PJM 2025/2026 auction cleared at $269.92/MW-day, roughly 9× the prior year's $28.92. That auction result flowed into ComEd supply bills starting June 2025 as roughly $10.60/month more for a typical household. The July 2025 PJM auction for 2026/2027 cleared at $329.17/MW-day, the FERC-approved price cap — the highest in PJM history. ComEd passes supply costs through with no markup (confirmed by the ICC) — the supply increase is entirely a commodity market event, not a ComEd profit increase.
The second driver is delivery infrastructure. ComEd is recovering a $606 million multi-year distribution investment through an ICC-approved rate plan (Docket 23-0055), and a $243 million bill reconciliation was approved separately in December 2025 (Docket 24-0181). Delivery and supply appear as separate line items on your bill.
Source: ICC Docket 23-0055; PJM BRA results (FERC); ComEd PriceToCompare
ComEd hourly pricing (Rider PRISM)
ComEd's Rider PRISM (Pricing Riders — Interval and Smart Metering) lets residential customers pay the actual real-time hourly wholesale price instead of a flat PTC rate.
How it works: ComEd posts next-day hourly prices by 5 PM each afternoon. Participants can shift major loads — EV charging, dishwasher, laundry — to low-cost hours. On mild spring and fall nights, wholesale prices can drop below 3¢/kWh. Summer weekday afternoons are peak periods where prices spike.
Who benefits most: Households with EV chargers or smart appliances that can be programmed overnight. Less suitable for households with fixed schedules or no ability to shift usage.
To enroll or see current hourly prices: hourlypricing.comed.com. This program targets the "comed hourly pricing" keyword cluster (~210 searches/month in Illinois).
ComEd service territory
ComEd serves approximately 4 million customers across 28 northern Illinois counties, stretching from the Chicago metro south to the I-80 corridor.
- ▸ Chicago (city), Chicago suburbs, and collar counties (Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Will)
- ▸ I-80 corridor communities: Joliet, Naperville, Aurora, Elgin, Waukegan, Bolingbrook
- ▸ Northern Illinois counties: DeKalb, Grundy, Kankakee, LaSalle, Bureau, Whiteside, Ogle
- ▸ Western Illinois counties: Henry, Stark, Knox, Warren, Henderson, Mercer, Rock Island, Carroll, Jo Daviess, Stephenson, Boone, Winnebago
- ▸ Does NOT serve: Springfield, Champaign, Peoria, or southern Illinois — those areas are served by Ameren Illinois (AIC)
Source: ComEd service territory map
What does a ComEd bill look like?
ESTIMATE — see note below.
| Bill component | At 750 kWh/month |
|---|---|
| Supply / generation (10.399¢/kWh) | $78.00 |
| Basic customer charge | $19.07 |
| Delivery, transmission & other riders | see note → |
| Supply + basic charge subtotal | $97.07 |
⚠ ESTIMATE — supply portion only (750 kWh × 10.399¢/kWh = $78.00 summer 2026 PTC). Basic customer charge $19.07/month (VERIFIED, ComEd tariff). Delivery charges, taxes, and riders add roughly $50–70/month more. Confirm your exact bill at comed.com.
ComEd rate alerts
Email alerts for ComEd are coming soon — we're setting them up with double opt-in and one-click unsubscribe, and we'll never sell your data. For now, this page and the Illinois hub track every active rate case.