Peoples Gas refund to return $2 to average customer
BY SANDRA GUY Business Reporter sguy@suntimes.com June 29, 2012 1:08PM
Updated: June 29, 2012 5:56PM
Peoples Gas customers will see a refund of 23 cents a month, or a total of $2.09, on average, starting in July and continuing for nine months because the Illinois Commerce Commission ruled Thursday that the utility must make $2.3 million worth of refunds.
A Peoples Gas spokeswoman disclosed on Friday the average monthly amount of the refund for customers.
Customers may see a higher rate in the future, however, because Peoples Gas must find new money to pay for pipeline and other infrastructure upgrades it is making throughout the Chicago area. Peoples Gas will submit a new rate plan by Aug. 1 that will seek to pay for the improvements, the spokeswoman said.
The ICC had initially approved Peoples’ request in the form of a rider on customers’ bills, but an appellate court judge ruled the rider illegal in October 2011.
