(WBBM NEWSRADIO) - The Illinois Commerce Commission has approved a $1.6 million rate increase for emergency work for Peoples Gas, not the $7.9 million the utility was seeking.
Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) spokeswoman Stacey Paradis said the utility should be more up front about how its rate hikes are spent.
“It is the responsibility of the ICC to approve costs that are prudent and reasonable,” Paradis said. “Going forward, I strongly encourage PGL [Peoples Gas] to improve its transparency and candor when providing data, planning and analysis.”
Abe Scarr, director of the Illinois Public Interest Research Group said Chicagoans will see the increase on their bills if they look closely.
“You’ll see a small increase, probably not that noticeable…They just passed a over $300 million increase and that went into effect in December…Bills have already gone up significantly…$1.6 million in the context of $303 million is not going to be that noticeable,” Scarr said.
People's Gas released a statement to WBBM:
“The Commission’s decision risks the continued safety and reliability of Chicago’s energy system. The proposal the Commission rejected today will harm our future efforts to address critical needs in the system.
Throughout this process we have responded to hundreds of requests for information and provided thousands of pages of data and details. The Commission’s staff — whose job it is to audit utilities and provide technical advice to the Commission — confirmed that Peoples Gas emergency and safety work is necessary to comply with federal pipeline safety requirements and keep Chicago safe. On behalf of our customers we will appeal the Commission’s decision.”
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