Illinois
Electric bills set to jump for Ameren customers in Illinois this summer. Here’s how much
Electric costs for Ameren Illinois customers across the state are likely to increase around 20% this summer.
The company said that depending on usage, the monthly bill for a typical customer could increase between 18% to 22% between June and September. That translates to somewhere in the range of $37.62 to $45.98 more on monthly bills, according to the Citizens Utility Board.
CUB said that the supply charge for customers could increase to 12 cents per kilowatt hour on June 1, a 50% increase from the current rate. Ameren said that the specific supply charge, also known as the “price to compare,” will be made public the week of May 26.
On Friday, the state’s Plug In Illinois website listed the price to compare at 12.18 cents per kilowatt hour, in line with the estimates. Ameren’s current rate, charged October through May, is 8.2 cents per kilowatt hour.
Why are Ameren Illinois electric rates going up this summer?
The increase comes after Midcontinent Independent System Operator’s planning resource auction last month showed reduced capacity for electricity across the region.
Ameren said that it is required by the state of Illinois to secure its electric capacity from generators such as MISO and pass on the costs without markup.
The price for capacity makes up more than half of a typical energy bill, according to Ameren. The increase is slated to last for four months, with prices expected to drop in October when winter rates go into effect.
CUB released a statement Thursday calling on Ameren to help customers struggling to pay their bills as a result of the price increase. It put the blame on MISO for introducing a new pricing methodology – the Reliability-Based Demand Curve – that it says compromised affordability during the last auction.
CUB said that Ameren does not profit off of the increase in prices for electricity – only on delivery-side rate hikes, which this is not. Both Ameren and CUB said that the price increase highlighted the need for further help to increase resource supply in Illinois.
“Balanced solutions, including transmission, energy storage, renewables, natural gas, nuclear, energy efficiency, and demand response, are needed to provide residents and businesses with affordable and reliable energy,” Ameren said in a statement.
CUB is currently supporting a pair of bills in the Illinois General Assembly – SB2473 and HB3779 – that would expand energy efficiency across the state and help programs that can reduce the demand on the electrical grid. Sarah Moskowitz, executive director for CUB, said that people should check on their friends, family and neighbors to make sure that they keep cool during the hot summer months.
“High bills can be stressful, so we ask people across central and southern Illinois to check on neighbors, friends and family this summer to make sure nobody is taking risks by keeping their homes too hot,” Moskowitz said. “Long-term, this price spike just shows we’ve got to keep working for consumer protections for electric customers.”
Ameren recommends that customers explore options for flexible payment plans and other energy-saving incentives by logging on to amerenillinois.com/options.
The 29th Big Ten men’s basketball tournament starts Tuesday and ends Sunday at the United Center, where the champion will snip down the nets while the NCAA Tournament bracket reveal furiously gets underway.
In keeping with tradition, the NCAA selection committee will claim to have factored the Big Ten final into its seeding even though it — how to put this? — did not.
Unlike last year, when 15 teams made the Big Ten field, this tourney will include all 18 teams and begin a day sooner, because clearly a five-day event just wasn’t long enough.
A team-by-team glimpse, in order of seeding (odds via FanDuel):
1. MICHIGAN (29-2, 19-1)
Next: TBD, 11 a.m. Friday, BTN.
Title odds: +105.
Snip? If the ginormous frontcourt of Yaxel Lendeborg, Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr. brutalizes foes like it did Illinois in Champaign, it’s over-and-out for everybody else.
Or slip? Point guard Elliot Cadeau might wear down with injured L.J. Cason unable to spell him.
2. NEBRASKA (25-5, 15-5)
Next: TBD, 5:30 p.m. Friday, BTN.
Title odds: +1000.
Snip? No team plays harder at the defensive end, and the Huskers move the ball beautifully on offense. Is it shooter Pryce Sandfort’s time to shine?
Or slip? Is coach Fred Hoiberg allowed to win a championship at the UC? Asking for a few million friends.
3. MICHIGAN STATE (25-6, 15-5)
Next: TBD, approximately 8 p.m. Friday, BTN.
Title odds: +650.
Snip? Jeremy Fears is one of the best playmakers around, and we are bound by law to say it’s hard to beat Tom Izzo in March.
Or slip? As tough as this team is, it lacks the kind of star power we’ve often seen in green.
4. ILLINOIS (24-7, 15-5)
Next: TBD, approximately 1:30 p.m. Friday, BTN.
Title odds: +470.
Snip? If freshmen Keaton Wagler and David Mirkovic hold up to postseason competition, the shooters around them will give the Illini a shot to win it for the third time in the 2020s.
Or slip? The Illini likely would have to get past Michigan in the semis, and the first meeting was ugly.
5. WISCONSIN (22-9, 14-6)
Next: Washington-USC winner, approximately 1:30 p.m. Thursday, BTN.
Title odds: +3500.
Snip? The team that popped Purdue for 97 points to ruin the Boilermakers’ Senior Day can beat anybody.
Or slip? The team that ham-fisted its way through recent lopsided losses at Ohio State and Oregon isn’t going anywhere.
6. UCLA (21-10, 13-7)
Next: Minnesota-Rutgers winner, approximately 8 p.m. Thursday, BTN.
Title odds: +3500.
Snip? When point guard Donovan Dent is on his game, this offense — particularly shooter Tyler Bilodeau — is dangerous.
Or slip? The Bruins are a different team, and not in a good way, away from home.
7. PURDUE (23-8, 13-7)
Next: TBD, 5:30 p.m. Thursday, BTN.
Title odds: +550.
Snip? Braden Smith, Trey Kaufman-Renn and Fletcher Loyer have been there so many times before.
Or slip? Who would’ve believed the Boilers would tumble all the way to seventh? Something’s off with Matt Painter’s crew.
8. OHIO STATE (20-11, 12-8)
Next: TBD, 11 a.m. Thursday, BTN.
Title odds: +7500.
Snip? Bruce Thornton, the school’s career scoring leader, isn’t the only Buckeye who can fill it up.
Or slip? Statistically, this team is right down the middle in the conference. That has “also-ran” written all over it.
9. IOWA (20-11, 10-10)
Next: Oregon-Maryland winner, 11 a.m. Wednesday, Peacock.
Title odds: +5000.
Snip? Guard Bennett Stirtz is terrific, and first-year coach Ben McCollum’s postseason record (most of it at Northwest Missouri State) is unreal.
Or slip? Stirtz doesn’t have a whole lot in the way of sidekicks.
10. INDIANA (18-13, 9-11)
Next: Northwestern-Penn State winner, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, BTN.
Title odds: +10000.
Snip? Guard Lamar Wilkerson led the Big Ten in scoring in league play and had multiple 40-plus-point games.
Or slip? Look, it’s a football school and the whole world knows it.
11. MINNESOTA (15-16, 8-12)
Next: Rutgers, approximately 8 p.m. Wednesday, BTN.
Title odds: +30000.
Snip? The Gophers have beaten three higher seeds, one of them Michigan State.
Or slip? Minnesota still hasn’t won this tournament. Why start now?
12. WASHINGTON (15-16, 7-13)
Next: USC, approximately 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Peacock.
Title odds: +20000.
Snip? The Huskies went 3-3 down the stretch and had late leads in two of the losses.
Or slip? One NCAA win in the last 14 years kind of says it all.
13. USC (18-13, 7-13)
Next: Washington, approximately 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Peacock.
Title odds: +30000.
Snip? A 4-1 stretch that began at Wisconsin looked really good.
Or slip? There have been seven straight losses since then, and star Chad Baker-Mazara was just booted from the program.
14. RUTGERS (13-18, 6-14)
Next: Minnesota, approximately 8 p.m. Wednesday, BTN.
Title odds: N/A.
Snip? A lot of steals and not many turnovers from this squad.
Or slip? Every league win came against Penn State, Maryland, Oregon or Northwestern.
Northwestern forward Nick Martinelli (2) celebrates with teammates after scoring the winning basket during overtime of an NCAA college basketball game against Maryland in Evanston, Ill., Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) ORG XMIT: ILNH117
15. NORTHWESTERN (13-18, 5-15)
Next: Penn State, approximately 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Peacock.
Title odds: +30000.
Snip? The name’s Nick Martinelli. Perhaps you’ve heard of him.
Or slip? And then there are the rest of the Wildcats.
16. OREGON (12-19, 5-15)
Next: Maryland, 4 p.m. Tuesday, Peacock.
Title odds: +30000.
Snip? The Ducks won four of seven down the stretch. They aren’t total pushovers.
Or slip? Injured Jackson Shelstad isn’t entering the building. At least not in shorts.
17. MARYLAND (11-20, 4-16)
Next: Oregon, 4 p.m. Tuesday, Peacock.
Title odds: N/A.
Snip? Freshman guard Andre Mills has been going off and scored 39 at Northwestern.
Or slip? Uh, the Terrapins still lost in Evanston.
18. PENN STATE (12-19, 3-17)
Next: Northwestern, approximately 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Peacock.
Title odds: N/A.
Snip? Aside from being utterly terrible at defense, rebounding and three-point shooting, the Nittany Lions are merely subpar.
Or slip? Gee, you think?
One person was injured this weekend in a townhome fire in the southwest Chicago suburb of Orland Park, which officials said may have been exacerbated by hoarding.
The Orland Fire Protection District was called Saturday afternoon for the fire in a two-story, four-unit townhome complex the 9100 block of Greencastle Lane in Orland Park. Firefighters arrived at 1:43 p.m.
There was no obvious evidence that the townhouse complex was on fire when firefighters arrived, but they later found a basement fire involving the end unit of the complex, the district said.
All occupants were evacuated from the attached townhouses as firefighters went in. They entered the front door with a hose, but found “mounds of obstacles” in the way, the district said.
Fire crews found what were believed to be heavy hoarding conditions obstructing the path to the basement, the district said. Multiple crews had to come in to clear everything out of the way to get to the fire.
One homeowner was treated for a minor head injury, but declined to go to the hospital, the district said.
The cause of the fire was under investigation Sunday.
The Illinois Attorney General is suing a suburban McDonald’s restaurant, accusing the operator of overworking teens, some for 17 hours straight.
The lawsuit alleges the Lockport location owned by Nicholas J. Kory and Lockor LLC violated 568 Illinois Child Labor Laws in 2023.
The restaurant allegedly worked children aged 14 and 15 years old for longer than 8 hours without rest and meal breaks. One minor worked until 1:30 a.m.
The Illinois Department of Labor is seeking over $2.1 million for victims, which the company has not paid.
In a statement, the local owner said, “We are committed to ensuring that all our employees feel safe, respected, and valued. We have taken steps to address concerns that have been raised.”
Nebraska completes sweep over Michigan State in 12-2 seven-inning win
VOTE: Do you want Nevada to continue changing clocks for Daylight Saving?
Mass. man nabbed after allegedly driving over 100 mph in N.H.
New Jersey to Use AI to Score Standardized Writing Tests
110 years since ‘Pancho’ Villa’s attack on Columbus, New Mexico
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Indiana Members Credit Union announced as new anchor tenant at Bottleworks District
China-linked birth tourism under scrutiny as GOP lawmakers press Trump admin for answers
What defence support could Ukraine offer Middle East states amid Iran war?
Warrants served in New Jersey, Pennsylvania as feds look into possible NYC terrorism
Video: Airports Struggle to Staff T.S.A. During Partial Government Shutdown
Before-and-after satellite imagery offers a rare look at damage inside Iran
-
Wisconsin1 week agoSetting sail on iceboats across a frozen lake in Wisconsin
-
Massachusetts7 days agoMassachusetts man awaits word from family in Iran after attacks
-
Maryland1 week agoAM showers Sunday in Maryland
-
Florida1 week agoFlorida man rescued after being stuck in shoulder-deep mud for days
-
Pennsylvania4 days agoPa. man found guilty of raping teen girl who he took to Mexico
-
News1 week ago2 Survivors Describe the Terror and Tragedy of the Tahoe Avalanche
-
Sports5 days agoKeith Olbermann under fire for calling Lou Holtz a ‘scumbag’ after legendary coach’s death
-
Virginia5 days agoGiants will hold 2026 training camp in West Virginia