Electricity Procurement

Understanding the Illinois Power Agency’s Electricity Procurement for Residential and Small Commercial Customers of Illinois Electric Utilities

Illinois has a deregulated, restructured electricity market which means that Illinois electricity customers of Ameren Illinois, ComEd, and MidAmerican Energy may choose who provides their electricity supply (these options are not available for customers of municipal electric utilities, rural electric cooperatives, and Mt. Carmel Public Utility).

For customers who choose to take supply service from their utility, the utility does not decide where the power comes from. Instead, each year, the Illinois Power Agency (IPA) develops an Electricity Procurement Plan, through which the IPA procures reliable, efficient, and cost-effective electricity for eligible retail customers.

You may learn more about the IPA’s electricity procurement processes, national and statewide electricity prices, electricity supply options, and municipal aggregation by visiting the pages linked below. 

• 2024 Electricity Procurement Plan (Approved by the ICC on December 14, 2023)
• Procurement website (A website designed for electricity suppliers participating in IPA -administered procurements).
• IPA Power Webinar: Understanding Power Procurement for Residential and Small Commercial Customers of Illinois Electric Utilities
• Illinois Power Agency Act (20 ILCS 3855, which created the IPA and provides the Agency’s directives).

• Making Sense of Your Electric Bill (A factsheet produced by the Citizens Utility Board to help electricity customers better understand each component of their monthly electricity bill).
• Municipal Aggregation Factsheet (A factsheet produced by the Citizens Utility Board)