Illinois · City
Commercial electricity in Chicago, Illinois
Which electric utilities serve businesses in Chicago, what each charged commercial customers in EIA’s 2025 data, and where Illinois’s prices stand.
EIA lists 3 electric utilities in Cook County, which contains Chicago. ComEd, the largest by commercial customers, averaged 15.13¢ per kWh for them in 2025. Illinois’s average commercial price was 13.81¢ per kWh over the 12 months to August 2026.
Source: EIA Form EIA-861 (2025) and Form EIA-861M; U.S. Census Bureau
Electric utilities serving Chicago
These are the utilities EIA records in Cook County. EIA lists a utility in a county when it has customers anywhere in it, so this is everyone with a presence, ordered by commercial customers across Illinois, not a statement about any one address. Prices are EIA’s averages over all of each utility’s commercial customers: revenue divided by kWh.
| Utility | Type | Commercial customers in IL | Average commercial price, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ComEd | Investor-owned | 402,509 | 15.13¢ |
| University of Illinois | fewer than 500 commercial customers | ||
| Village of Winnetka | fewer than 500 commercial customers |
Find the list for a single ZIP Code with the utility lookup, or set utilities side by side with the comparison tool.
What businesses in Chicago pay
Across Illinois, businesses paid an average 13.81¢ per kWh over the 12 months to August 2026, level with the U.S. average of 13.87¢, and up 9.1% on the 12 months before. That ranks Illinois 16 of 51, where 1 is the highest price. In 2025 the average commercial account in the state used 5,997 kWh a month, about $786 a month at the state price; that is a mean pulled up by a few very large users, so most small businesses use less.
A city has no price of its own: two businesses on the same street can pay very different amounts per kWh, because the rate schedule, the size of the peak and, where it is allowed, the supply contract matter more than the location. The Illinois page has the state’s price history since 2010 and every utility with at least 500 commercial customers.
Choosing a supplier in Chicago
Eligible Illinois commercial accounts in ComEd and Ameren Illinois territory may purchase supply from a licensed retail supplier while delivery stays regulated. Municipal utility territories are separate and are not part of that market.
Where prices are heading
EIA does not forecast single states. For the East North Central census division, which includes Illinois, its November 2026 Short-Term Energy Outlook puts the average commercial price at 14.03¢ per kWh for 2026 and 14.36¢ for 2027, up 10.5% from 12.99¢ in 2025. The forecast for every region.
About Chicago
The Census Bureau estimates Chicago had 2,731,585 residents on July 1, 2025, down 0.4% from 2,741,640 in 2020. It lies in Cook County.
Other cities in Illinois
Common questions
- Who provides electricity to businesses in Chicago?
- EIA lists ComEd, University of Illinois and Village of Winnetka as electric utilities in Cook County. Which one serves a given address depends on the street; the utility on an existing bill is the definitive answer, and a utility can confirm service for a new site.
- What is the average commercial electricity rate in Chicago?
- There is no official figure for a city. EIA publishes prices by state and by utility: ComEd averaged 15.13¢ per kWh for its commercial customers in 2025, and Illinois averaged 13.81¢ over the 12 months to August 2026. A business’s own price depends on its rate schedule, its demand and, where it can choose, its supply contract.
- Can a business in Chicago choose its electricity supplier?
- Eligible Illinois commercial accounts in ComEd and Ameren Illinois territory may purchase supply from a licensed retail supplier while delivery stays regulated. Municipal utility territories are separate and are not part of that market. The state page for Illinois explains how it works and who regulates it.
Averages describe Chicago; a bill describes your business. A person can read yours: rate schedule, demand, riders, contract window. Nobody calls unless you ask.