As ComEd Vies for New Franchise Agreement, AARP Illinois Urges Chicago City Council to Put Ratepayers First

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 10, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

As ComEd Vies for New Franchise Agreement, AARP Illinois Urges Chicago City Council to Put Ratepayers First   

As the Chicago City Council Committee on Environmental Protection and Energy meets with ComEd leadership today to negotiate a new franchise agreement, AARP Illinois urges the City Council to demand ratepayer affordability, transparency and ethics reform in any agreements made with the utility.

“ComEd’s illegal bribery scheme and unethical ratemaking practices have hurt everyday Illinoisans, who are already hundreds of millions of dollars behind on their bills, for far too long,” said Bob Gallo, AARP Illinois State Director. “We urge elected officials to stand up for Illinois ratepayers– especially those on fixed incomes – who are struggling to pay their utility bills along with other household expenses like food and medicine.”

On behalf of our 250,000 members in Chicago and Chicagoans 50+, AARP Illinois urges the Chicago City Council to:

• Oppose any agreement that raises rates through questionable new spending;
  
• Put an end to ratepayer-funded so-called “charitable contributions” by ComEd and other utility companies that are actually giving away consumers’ money to make themselves seem benevolent;
  
• Enact strict ethics reforms and enhance oversight on utilities to ensure greater transparency and accountability and prevent any further illegal actions employed by utility companies that would lead to more ill-gotten rate increases.
  

As it has always done, AARP Illinois will continue to fight to ensure consumer voices are heard and their needs placed first in any utility-related energy negotiations happening in the foreseeable future, and will be unrelenting in the effort to stop the behavior that has hurt Illinois consumers.