Illinois Commerce Commission The Wire - January 2026

ISSUE 7 JA N  A PU BLI C A TIO N BY T HE IL LIN OI S CO MME RC E C OMM ISSI ON

THE WIRE ISS UE  | JA N  PA G E  Content s A Mes sage fro m the Chair man. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Docket s to Watch for 2026. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Consum er Corn er Low -In come D isco unt Rate Up date. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Winter Disconnec t ion Rule i n Effec t through March. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Got a Problem? The ICC’ s Consumer Ser vices Div ision Can Help!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Rate C as e Rund own. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Public Utilities Bureau Winte r Prep are dne ss. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Illi nois Commerce Commis sion Unveils New Interac tive Dashb oard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Future of Gas Upda te. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Anoth er Major Ill inois Energ y Bill on the B ook s. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Res ource Adequac y. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Fe der al Up date. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Pipe line S afe t y. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 T r anspor tation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 ICC to Gai n Stronger T ow ing E nforcement Auth orit y Unde r New Law. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Y ear - Round Rail Safet y T r ainin g s & Par tner ships. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Chris Murausk i Named ICC Rail Safet y Program Administ rator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Rail Safet y. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Cybersec urity and Risk Ma nagement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Notable Actions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

THE WIRE ISS UE  | JA N  PA G E  ICC Chairm an Doug S cot t A M es sage from th e Chair man For man y, the new year si gnals a fresh s tar t . This year, t hat f ee li ng of newnes s carr ies over to the work happening here at the ICC . With pas sage of the Clean and Rel iable Grid Affordabi lit y (C RG A) Ac t during the fall veto ses sion and a new predator y towin g bill on the book s, there’ s a lot of meani ng ful work to look for w ard to i n 2026 . The ICC is poised to take back resource plann ing authorit y to ensure Ill inois has enough power to meet our energ y dema nds. The new law buil ds on the advancement s Illi nois has made towar d de carb onization through its other landm ark ene rg y policies, CEJA and FEJA. A s we gear up for the new year, the ICC wi ll continue t o have an im por tant role t o play in i mplementing Il linois ’ clean energ y transition . In Februar y, the IC C will also conclude its Future of Gas P rocee ding wi th a detailed ac tion plan for Il linois ’ gas infras tr uc ture i nves tment s . The rep or t is exp ec ted to encompass information and recommendations v et ted by hundreds of stakeholders over the pa st t wo years. On the tr anspor t ation side, a new predator y safet y towing la w is now in effec t, which gives ICC Pol ice stronger enforcement tools to k e ep rouge t owers off our roadways . While these new laws make for a gre at deal of work ahead, ICC staff and commissioners will be looking to meet the moment. All the be st, and Happy New Y ear! Do ug Scot t Chair man

THE WIRE ISS UE  | JA N  PA G E  Doc k ets to W a t c h fo r 20 2 6 *Do cket No. yet to be as signe d CLIMA TE AND EQUIT A BLE JOBS ACT (C E JA) 25 - 0382 Ameren IL Multiyear Ra te Plan Reconcil iations/ Ann ual Adju st me nt s 25 - 0383 ComEd Mu ltiyear Rate Pl an Reconcili ations/ Ann ual Adju st me nt s 2 5 - 0 514 ComEd 2nd Per formance Metric s 2 5 - 0 5 74 A meren IL 2nd Per formance Metric s 25- 067 8 ComE d Vir t ual P ower Plan t T ariff Inves tigation 25 - 0863 Equitable E nerg y Upgrade Guideli ne Adoption 2 5 -10 7 5 Re newable Energ y Acces s Pl an Update 26 - 0 0 47 ComEd 2nd Mul tiyear Grid Plan 26 - 0 0 51 Ameren IL 2nd Multiyea r Gr id Pl an CLE AN RELI ABLE GRID ACT (C R G A) * Dispatch Vir tual Po wer Plant P rogram T ariff Invest igations * Elect ric Time of Use Pricing T ariff Inves tigations * Integ r ated Res our ce Plan * Int er venor Compensation Fund Ru lemaking * Large Elec tric and Gas Utilit y Energ y Efficienc y Plan Change s * Net Metering and Distr ibuted Gener ation T ariff Invest igations * Powering U p Illi nois Rulemaki ng * Regional T ransmission Par ticipation Study * Thermal Energ y Net wor k Pil ot Program * Utility Data Acces s Rulemakin g R AT E C A S E S 2 6 -0007 Mt . C armel Public Util it y Elec tric & Gas 26 - 0 0 6 5 Peoples Gas 26 - 0 0 6 6 Nor t h Shore Gas * Ill inois Americ an W ater & Sewer * MidAmer ican Energ y Elec tric & Gas * Nicor Gas FUTURE OF GA S 2 4-0 15 8 Fut ure of Ga s Pro ce eding * Ameren, Nicor, Nor th Shore, and Peoples Gas Long T erm Gas Infras tr uc ture P lans WA TER 25 - 05 45 Prairie P ath/Il li nois American Wa ter Merger 2 5 -10 57 Ess enti al Util ities/ American Wat er Works Merger TR ANSMISSION 25- 006 1 ComE d “K ARE” T ransmission E xpansion Proj e ct * MISO T ranche 2 T r ansmission Lines RENE WABLE EN ERGY PROCUREM ENT 25 - 0945 IP A Long T er m Renewable Resources Proc ureme nt Plan ONE- C ALL ENFORCEMENT 25 -090 4 Corn Belt Energ y RULEMAKINGS 25- 067 6 Elec tric Uniform System of Accounts Update, Code Par t 4 15 2 5 -10 7 7 Wat er and Se wer Unif or m System of Accoun t s Updat e, Code Par t s 6 05 & 6 50 2 5 -10 8 4 Upda te to Code Par t s 420, 5 1 0, and 6 15 and new Par t 35 0 to Modernize and Consolid ate Rules to Govern the Preser vation of Records of El e ct ric, Gas, Wa ter, and Se we r Ut ilit ie s * Carb on Capture and Seques tr ation, Code Par t 320 * Credit and Coll ec tions Updates, Co de Par t 280 * Elect ric T r ansmission Constr uc tion Rulem aking * Prof e ssional En gineer ing Requi rement, Code Par t 590 * Solution Sourcing Oppor tunities MISCELL ANEOUS 25- 0677 /25- 067 9 ComE d L arge Load Ser v ice T ar iffs 25- 0680 ComEd Large Load E conomic Development T ariff WORKSHOPS Futu re of Gas Work shops Solution Sourcing Oppor tunities Work shops Low-Income Discount Rate W ork shops

THE WIRE ISS UE  | JA N  PA G E  Consumer Corne r Low - Inco me D is co unt Rate Up date Tha nks to recen t IC C orders, lo w-income d isco unt rat es are a vail able f or elig ible wat er and na tural ga s customers of Aq ua Il lin ois, Il lino is American W ater, Ameren Il li nois, Nic or Gas, P eoples Ga s, Prairie P ath W ater C ompa ny and No r th Shor e Gas. Star tin g in 20 26, lo w-inc ome disc oun t rates wi ll be offered t o eli gibl e Com Ed and Ameren I ll inois el ec tric cu stomers. For mo re about u tili ties’ vario us low-i ncome d iscou nt pro grams, and ac cess li nks to self-r epor t your i ncome, visit th e ICC ’ s Utility A ssis tance we bpage. ELECTR IC CUSTOMER S Star ting Janu ar y 2 026, ComEd wil l offer slidin g sc ale di scount rates. El igible customers at or below 30 0 percent of the Feder al Pover t y Level (FPL) can receive a 5 -8 0 percent monthly discoun t on th eir elect ric bills and are a ls o encouraged to enroll i n ComEd’ s Energ y Efficienc y Program to man age energ y use and f ur ther bill reduct ions . In Oc tober 2026, Ameren Illi nois customer s with incomes up to 300 p ercent of the FPL can acces s a new discount ed affordabil it y progr am designed to ensure non-space heating cus tom er s pay no more than 3 percent of their verifie d monthly income to ward elec tr icit y bil ls. In come-eli gib le space heating customers will pay no more than 6 percent . Upon enroll ment, customer s wil l als o be placed on Ameren’ s rollov er budget bill ing program . Customers already enrolled in the Low Inc ome Energ y As sistance Program (LIHEA P) or the Percen t age of I ncome Payment Plan (PIP P) wil l automatically q ualif y for the new low-income discoun t r ates . Customer s not currently eli gible for LIHEA P, but whose income falls within 20 1 -30 0 percent FPL mu s t self-repor t their income el igibil it y direc tly to their utility .

THE WIRE ISS UE  | JA N  PA G E  NA TUR A L GA S CUSTOMERS Low-income discount rat e s are avai lable for Ameren Ill inois, Nicor Gas, Nor th Sh ore Gas, and Peoples Gas cus tomers whose incomes are at or below 30 0 pe rcent o f the Feder al Pov er t y Level (FP L). Customer s not currently eligi ble for LIHEA P, but whose income falls within 20 1 - 3 00 p ercent of FP L can s till qu alif y for a 5 percent discoun t by self-repor ting their i ncome eligibil it y to their utility . Local commun it y ac tion agencie s can help households determine eligibi lit y and apply for assis tance . WA TER CUSTOMERS Eli gible Aqua Il linois c us tomerswhose income s are at or below 150 percent of the FPL are now abl e to receive a 70 percent di scount on all base volu met ric charges . Eli gible Prairie Path W ater Company c us tomers whose income s are at or below 1 0 0 percent of the FPL are able t o receive a 70 percent discoun t on base volumetric charges up t o 3,4 1 4 gallons of usage . Ill inois Americ a Wa ter now offers a four -t ierIncome- Base d Discount P rogram for residential c us tomers with incomes up to 30 0 percent of the FPL . Eligibl e customer s can receive a 10- 8 0 percent monthly discoun t on their water and/ or wastewater bills . UTILI T Y DISC OUNT TIE R  TIE R  TIE R  TIER  T IER  0-50% FPL 51 -10 0 % F P L 10 1-1 5 0 % F P L 1 51-2 0 0 % F PL 20 1 - 300% FP L Peop les Gas 83% 68% 45% 20% 5% Nor th Shore Ga s 79% 60% 36% 12% 5% Nicor Gas 77% 57% 27 % 12% 5% Ameren Il linoi s Gas 8 4% 52% 19% 5% 5%

THE WIRE ISS UE  | JA N  PA G E  Wi n te r Di sco nn ec tio n Ru l e in E ff ec t thr ou gh M a rc h Il lino is’ wi nter w eather rul e is in effect un til Ma rch 3 1. The wi nter w eather ru le li mits utili ties from d iscon nec tin g elig ible c ustomers who use el ec tric or gas as thei r primar y sour ce of ho me heati ng. “Illino is wint ers are kn ow n for frigid t emperatur es and fre quent snowfall. The win ter w eather rule pr otects customer s who might otherwise struggle to sta y w arm during the c oldest months of the ye ar. ” —ICC Chai rman Doug S cott Ill inois’ wi nter weather rule is in effect until March 3 1 . The win ter weather rule lim it s utilities from disconnec ting el igible customers who us e elec tric or g as as their primar y s ource o f home heating . T o protec t Ill inoisans during d angerous col d, LIHE AP and PIPP part icipan t s; elec tr ic space heati ng customer s; and mi litar y pers onnel and veterans cannot be disconnec ted if they f all behind on their utility bills. The rule excludes disconnec tions related to theft, t ampering, or safet y. The r ule also protec t s residential customers from disconnec tions when temper atures are forecaste d to be at or below 32° F, and on days preceding holid ays and we ekends when the foreca st is exp ec ted to drop to freezing . Learn more about Ill inois’ wi nter disconnect ion rules here.

THE WIRE ISS UE  | JA N  PA G E  Consumer assistance on Public Utili ty Service ICC SMART TIPS i c c.i l li n oi s.g o v Counselors in the I CC’s Consumer Services Division (CSD) p rovide assistance to consum ers who have qu estions or complaints about the ir service, including applicati ons for service, deposits, billing, payments, d i s c o n t i n u a n c e, a n d r ec o n n ec t i o n o f s e r v i c e. S t a ff a l s o fi l e complaints on beh alf of consu m e r s w i t h i s s u e s r e l a t ed t o s u p p l y s e r v i c e p r o v i d ed b y alternative retail electric supp l i e r s a n d a l t e r n a t i v e g a s s u p p l i e r s. Online Complaint Form 1 - 8 0 0 - 52 4 - 07 9 5 T T Y: 1 8 0 0 - 8 5 8 - 9 2 7 7 o r 7 1 1 M o n d a y - F r i d a y 8: 3 0 a m - 5: 0 0 p m (s e h a b l a e s p a ñ o l) I C C C o n s u m e r S e r v ic e s 5 2 7 E as t C a p i t o l A v e n u e S p r i n g f i e l d, I L 6 2 7 0 1 GETTING HELP Before contacting the ICC, consumers s h o u l d c o n t a c t t h ei r s e r v i c e provider directly to address the conce r n. I f a r e s o l u t i o n i s n o t reached, consumers can file an inf orma l c o m p l a i n t w i t h C S D. Mo s t complaints are resolved informally betw e e n o n e a n d 1 4 d a y s; however, if it isn ’t satisfactorily resolved, c o n s u m e r s m a y f i l e a formal complaint for c onsideration by t h e I C C. PUBLIC COMMENTS Consumers can file a public com ment r eg a r d i n g a n y c as e b ei n g considered by the Commission. • Comment online through eDocket. • Call 800 524-0795 to relay your com m e n t t o a C S D c o u n s e l o r over the phone. • Speak before the Commission by s u bm i t t i n g a r e q u e s t: https://www.icc.illinois.gov/efilin g / p ar ti c i p a t e O T HER I NF O F O R C O N S U MERS • U t i l i t y e n e r g y as s i s t a n c e i n fo r ma t i o n i n c l u d i n g f i n a n c i a l as s i s t a n c e, p a y m e n t o p t i o n s, e n e r g y e ff i c i e n c y s a v i n g s. • El e c t r i c an d n a t u r al g as s u ppl i e r c h o i c e o p t i o n s a n d c o n s u m e r p r ot e c t i o n i nf o r m at i o n. • C i t i z e n s G u i d e t o t h e I C C p r o v id e s e x p l a i n e r s o n t h e I C C ’ s w o r k a n d m i s s i o n, i n c l u d i n g h o w t h e p u bl i c c a n r e q u e s t i n f o r m a t i o n o r as s i s t a n c e. • e - Do c k et i n s t r u c t i o n s o n h o w t o a c c e s s e l e c t r o n i c r e c o r d s, d e t a i l s, d e c i s i o n s i n a n I C C c as e f i l e, a n d m o r e. CONTACT INFORMA TION https://icc.illinois.gov/complaints/ ICC SMART TIPS Ga s le a k SAFETY AND DETECTION Natural gas is a col orless, odorl ess fossil fuel. While most gas lines are od orized to release a distinctive rotten egg smell, some people becom e desensitized to the odorant or have a limited sense of smell. Help prevent a gas explosion by knowing what to do if there’s a gas leak in your home. SIGNS OF A GAS LEAK • A distinctive “rotten egg” odor • A hissing or roaring sound • An unusual area of dead vegetation arou nd the house • Blowing dir t or bubbling water outdoors EXPLOSION PREVENTION • Install a natural gas detector in yo ur home. • Regularly monitor and service gas detection equipment. • Do not light matches, turn on light swit ches, or use any power source when you sme ll gas. IN THE EVENT OF A LEAK • I m m e d ia t e ly ev a c u a t e a l l r e s i d e n t s a n d p e t s fr o m t he ho m e. • M o v e a t l e a s t 3 0 0 f e e t a w a y fr o m t h e l oc a t i o n. • C a l l y o u r g a s pr o v i d e r t o r e p o r t a l e a k a n d w a i t o u t s i d e f o r t h e i r d i r e c t i o n s. • D o n o t r e e n t e r t he h o me u n t i l g i v e n t h e a l l - c l e a r b y g a s co mp a n y p e r s o n n e l. • C a l l 9 1 1 i n t h e e v e n t o f a n e m e r g e n c y. F i n d o u t m o r e o n l i n e a t t h e I C C P i p e l i n e S a f e t y P r o g r a m i c c.i l l i n ois. g o v REPORT A LEAK Ameren Illinois Gas 800-755-5000 Consumers Gas 800-322-4158 Illinois Gas 618-395-8588 or 800-633-6250 Liberty Utilities 855-644-8134 MidAmerican Energy 800-595-5325 Mt. Carmel Public Utility 618-262- 5151 or 877-26 2-7036 Nicor Gas 888-642-6748 North Shore Gas 866-556-6005 Peoples Gas 866-556-6002 Never try to find a gas leak y ourself. Gas utility emp loyees are trained and u t i l i z e s p e c i a l i z e d e q u i p m e n t t o l o c ate l e a k s, i d e n t i f y t h e a m o u n t o f g a s, a nd f i x t h e l e a k. ICC SMART TIPS DON’T GET HOOKED A void a P redatory Sa fet y Tow icc.illinois.gov If your car is damaged o r disabled and a tow truck suddenly arrives on the scene, BEW ARE. Follow these steps to pro tect yourself from potential scams. • Refuse to let a company to w your vehicle without first verifying that they were called by police or your insurance comp any. • Do NOT share your insurance information with the tower. • Check for signage on the tow truck. If si gnage is missing from the side of the truck or doesn’ t match the paperwork provided do not release your vehicl e. • Ask for a pre-tow disclosure form showing rates, storag e fees, and the location where you r vehicle is being towed to bef ore it is hooked up. • Say “NO” to the tow if the pr e-disclosure form is blank. SAFETY TOWERS AND THE L AW Safety towers remove damag ed and disabled vehicles from public or private property. State law requires safety towers in Cook, DuPag e, Kane, Will, and Winnebag o counties to be licensed annua lly with the Illinois Commerce Commission. Federal law preempts the ICC from regulating safety tow rates. ICC Pol ice patrol and conduct surveilla nce and have the authority to issue admini strative citations. BELIEVE YOU ARE THE VICTIM OF A SCAM? Complete the back side of the tow bill issued to you; send it to the ICC Police. Complaint forms may also be downloaded at Safety Relocator (illinois.gov). ICC Police 9511 W. Harrison St. Des Plaines, IL 600 16 847-2 94- 4326 ICC Police investigate all complaints and will be in contact with you. If they find a violation has occurred, citations may be issued to the tower. COMPLAINT FORMS ICC SMART TIPS CUTTING WINTER Hea ting Bills icc.illinois.gov • Install smart thermostats that automa tically adjust heati ng and cooling temperature settings. • Set your thermostat at 68 degrees du ring waking hours, l ower at night and when you are a way. • Check with your utility to en roll in time-based electric rate pr ograms to reduce energy usage durin g peak demand hours or to learn about energy efficiency services they may offer. • Seal drafty windows and doors with caulk or weather strippi ng. • Let the sunshine in on sun ny days to warm up a room. Hang insul ated curtains, shades, or other en ergy- efficient wi ndow treatments at ni ght to block the col d. • Close fireplace dampers unless a fire is burning. • Switch to LED lights t o use 75% less energy. Set a ti mer for holiday l ights. • Turn ceiling fan blades clockwise to circu late rising ho t air. • Add an insulated jacket or bl anket to an older wat er heater to low er water heating co sts by 7-1 6%. • Schedule an annual maintenance service call for your heati ng system. • Change filters on furnace and heat pumps once a month. • Clean flue vent and the i nterior of wood or pell et burning heat ers regularly. https://www. energy.gov/ener gysaver/energy-saver -guide-tips-saving-money-and-energy-home For more ti ps visit the U.S. Dep artment of Energy website ICC SMART TIPS Get Hel p on Y our UTI LITY BIL LS icc.illinois.gov APPLY FOR LIHEAP The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps eligibl e individuals pay for home heating and coolin g costs. To learn more about income eligibili ty levels, necessar y documentation, and how to apply, call the LIHEAP hotline at 1-833-71 1-0374 or visit the Illinois Department of Commerce and E conomic Opportunity (DCEO) website. Local representatives can help you complete the paperwork. ENROLL IN A BILL PA YMENT ASSISTANCE PROG RAM Ameren, Illinois American Water, Aqua Illinois, ComEd, Nicor Gas, and Peoples Gas/North Shore Gas all offer bill p ayment assistance programs. Contact your utility directly to enroll in a deferred payment arrangement, which all ows customers to pay outstanding balances over time, or a fixed billing option to provide predictability on your monthly bills. INQUIRE ABOUT HOME ENER GY SAVINGS Ameren Illinois and ComEd o ffer free assessments to eligible customers to improve home energy efficiency that include FREE and discounted products for your home. MidAmerican Energy offers a free online energy assessment tool to help customers reduce electric usage and save money. Switching to smart meter technology and sm art thermost ats can also help customers to reduce daily electric usage. Contact your electric utility to decide if enrolling in Peak Time Savings or Hourly Pricing programs fits your lif esty le and will low er your utility bills. Free assessments Visit DCEO’s website Ameren Illinois ComEd MidAmerican Energy Find out where to apply To learn more abo ut ways to save, visit the ICC’ s utility assistance webpage. ICC SMART TIPS Natural Gas LOW INC OME DIS COU NT RA TES icc.illinois.gov Low-income disc ount rates are now available f or Amere n Illinois, Nicor Gas, North Shore Gas, and Peoples Gas custom ers whose incomes are at or below 300% of the Fed eral Poverty Level (FPL). In 2023, the ICC ordered Illino is’ largest investor-owned gas, electric, and water companies to offer low-income discount rates. The discounts range from 5-83% of customers’ total monthly gas bills, based on a five-tier system. Discounts are tied to income, number of people in the home, and the cost of service offered by the utility. LIHEAP-eligible households (at or below 200% FPL) are automatically enrolled in the discou nt program but must apply for LIHEAP annually to keep the benefit. Low Income Discount Rates for electric and wat er are expected to be offered in 2025. UTILITY DISCOUNT TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3 TIER 4 TIER 5 0-50% FPL 51-100% FPL 101-150% 151-200% FPL 201-300% FPL Peoples Gas 83% 68% 45% 20% 5% North Shore Gas 79% 60% 36% 12% 5% Nicor Gas 75% 55% 25% 10% 5% Ameren Illinois Gas 75% 55% 25% 10% 5% TIERS 1-4 LIHEAP-eligible customers are automaticall y enrolled in the discoun t program, and must apply annually to maintain thei r benefits. TIER 5 is for no n-LIHEAP eligible households with incomes exceed ing 200% of the FPL but less than 300% FPL. Call you r gas utility to request the discount. IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS Ameren 1-800-7 55-5000 Nicor 1-888-NICOR-4-U North Shore 1-866-556-6004 Peoples Gas 1-866-556-6001 ICC Consumer Services 1-80 0-524 -0795 Find your local community action agency Contact your utility Go t a P ro bl em? The I C C ’ s Co nsu me r Ser vic es Di visio n C an He lp! Our consumer ser v ices webpage is dedicated to helpi ng consumers navigate ou r multi-faceted agenc y . Here y ou will find links to various smar t tip f lyers to protect consumers from utilit y and towi ng sc ams, inst ruc tions on how to mak e a public comment, or details on how to repor t a gas leak . Form s are available to file formal compl aints against e nerg y suppliers, tow tr uck compani es, or househ old goods movers, and to repor t a blocked railr oad cros sin g or fault y signals/ gat e s with our rail safet y division . Con tact the IC C’ s Cons um er Ser vic es Divi sio n Mond ay–F ri da y fro m 8:30 am–5:00 pm at 1 -8 00- 5 2 4-0 7 9 5. Spanish speaking couns elor s are av ailable . ENERGY EFFICIENC Y TI PS Ill inois ’ fr igid winters c an caus e c ons u mers t o cran k the he a t an d rai se thei r e nerg y bi l ls . The I C C ’ s sea son al energ y eff ic ienc y tips can hel p c ons u mers st a y wa rm, red uc e ene rg y usa g e, a nd s pend l ess on uti l i t y b il ls . LIH E A P APPL IC A TI O NS A R E O PEN Households st rug gling t o pay their utility bills are encouraged to apply for LIHEA P annu ally with the Illi nois Depar t ment of Commerce and Econom ic Oppor tunity . Applications are open through Au gus t 15, 2026, or un til funds are exhaus ted . For additional i nformation call the LIHE AP hotline a t 1- 8 3 3 -7 11- 0 374 or find your local community ac tion agenc y.

THE WIRE ISS UE  | JA N  PA G E  Rate Ca se Rund o wn The rat e case process is des igned to en sure u tili ties recei ve the necessar y funds t o provi de safe an d rel iabl e ser vi ce at a r easona ble c ost to rat epay ers. Under the Il lin ois Pu blic U tili ties Ac t, these co s ts are on ly rec overab le if the ut ility demonstrat es they are re asonab le and pruden t. ICC STRIKES MILLIONS FROM GA S R A TE C AS E PROPOSAL S On November 19, the Illi nois Commerce Commission cut $ 1 45 . 5 mil lion from Nor the rn Illi nois Gas Company (Docket No . 25 - 005 5) a nd $ 55 . 8 mil lion from Ameren Illino is’ (Docket No . 25 - 008 4) rate reques ts for natural gas deliver y ser vices. The ICC decisions reduced Nicor’ s initial $3 1 4 .3 mill ion reques t by nearly 47 percent a nd Am eren’ s $ 128 . 8 mil lion reques t by about 43 percent . The de cisions grant e d both gas utilities a 9 .6 percent return on equit y (ROE). The ICC issued it s decisions after closely scr utinizi ng the filings, along with additiona l materials submitted by th e utilities, consumer advoc ates, Commission st aff, and various inter vener s over the course of the 11-month leg al pr oce eding s . “Both Ameren and Nicor’s gas orders appropriat ely defer se veral impor t ant inve s tm ent, inf r a - st ruc ture, and policy plann ing quest ions to coll abor ative forums like t he o ngoing Futu re of Gas ser ies and upcomin g Low- Income Discount work shops . Th ese s takeholder discussions are impor tant to ana ly ze poten tial pilo t progr ams, review broader de car - bonization st rategies, and consider implications of the st ate’ s l ow- income di scount programs. The ICC con f irmed that Il linois ’ LID programs mus t mai ntain a 3 percent energ y burden for our most vulnerable natu r al gas and elec tr ic customer s, ” said ICC Commissioner Stacey Paradis . NEW PER FORMA NCE-B A SED RECONCILIA TIO N PROCESS FOR COMED AND AMEREN On De cember 18, the ICC str uck $2 5 .4 mil lion from ComEd ’s 202 4 rate reconcili ation reques t (Docket No . 25 - 038 3) and $ 11 .2 mill ion from Ameren’ s (Docket No . 25 - 03 82) . The decisions are the f irst to use th e new per formance- base d regula tions se t via CEJA, which compare actual utility sp endin g with inves tment s previously approved in the utilities’ mul ti -year grid and rate plans . In Il linois, per formanc e -bas ed r atemaking invol ves a s et of metric s that utilities must me et to avoid pena lties. A s par t of the reconcilia tion docket s, the ICC reviewed b oth utilities’ prog res s toward achieving their un ique metrics and removed or awarded basis points to th e compan y ’ s ROE accordi ngly. ComEd was awarded an incremental adjus t - ment of +0 .0 6 basis points to it s cost of equit y; A meren was awarded + 3 . 2 basis points. Nicor Gas p ublic he aring in Elg in, Augu st 7, 202 5 Am eren Ga s puplic h earing i n Eas t St. L ouis, A ugus t 28, 2025 Am eren g as publi c hear ing in Spr ing f ield, Aug us t 27, 202 5 “Th e IC C ’ s r espon si b il i t y is t o ba l an ce the i n t er est s o f  l li n oi s ’ uti l i ties a nd thei r c on su me r s . W e rec ogn i z e th at a n y deci si o n im pa c ti ng I l l i no isa ns ’ bi l ls i s no t a sm a l l one. ” —ICC Ch airman Doug Scot t

THE WIRE ISS UE  | JA N  PA G E  W inter Pre pa re dn e s s On Nov ember 6 in S pringf ield, the IC C held its annu al Win ter Pr epared nes s P olicy Ses sio n. IC C staff, r epresentativ es of the state ’ s Regi onal T ransmi ssion Organi zation s (RT Os) a nd larg e in vestor -owned ut ilit ies gav e presentati ons expla ini ng their r eadi ness to deal w ith co ld and wi nter sto rms. The Comm issioners fol low ed up with th oughtful qu es tions a bout the uti lities ’ and RT Os’ pla ns for de ali ng with po tenti al we ather di sruptio ns, suppl y shor tages, rel iabi lity chal leng es as well a s their cu s to mer outre ach effor ts. The Co mmissio n also heard from c onsu mer advocat es who pro vided in put on the ch all enges faci ng I lli nois energy consum er s ove r th e winte r. Ill inois Co mmerce Co mmis sion Unveil s N ew Inter ac t ive Dashb oard The ICC websit e now house s t wo int er ac tive dashboards that a llows user s to visu alize mon thly public utility data on 22 cre dit, disconnec tion, and arrearage metric s. The newes t dashboard, developed by th e ICC ’ s Utilit y Research and Analy tic s Division, allo ws us ers to map the top zip codes with more than 1 0 0 residential customers that hav e th e highest annual av er age values across 1 4 disconnect ion, credit, collect ions, and arrearages metr ics. Zip codes of customer s with the highes t average dolla r value of arrearages with or without a DPA ar e als o avail able . This tool only i ncludes residential data, and residential lo w -income da t a are separately identified . Visit both dashboards and access oth er ICC c ompliance repor t s on t he ICC ’ s Credit, Collec tions, and Arrearages Repor ts by Utilities webpage .

THE WIRE ISS UE  | JA N  PA G E  F u tu re o f Ga s U pda t e Work on Phase 2 of the Ill inois Commerce Comm is sion F uture of Gas proceeding continues to move f or ward a nd is e xpec ted to result in a final ized repor t in Feb r uar y 2026. The procee din g was initiat ed by t he ICC i n March of 202 4 to com mence public work shops to develop a comprehensive act ion plan f or Illi nois gas utilities future infrast ruc ture investment s. Worksh ops hav e b een held to explore is sues tied to dec arbonization of the ga s distribution s ys tem and how the gas s ys tem ma y ne ed to adapt . Throughout Ph as e 2, the work shops delve d deeper into issues g athered during the Phase 1 work shop se ries to addres s st akeholder positions and perspe c tives; consider proposed legislative and regulat or y solutions; and present recommenda- tions to the ICC . Visit the ICC’ s F uture of Gas Proceedings webpage for mor e information . Ano ther M a jo r I l li n oi s E ner g y Bi l l on th e Books The Il li nois General As sembl y passed s weepi ng energy reforms in the C lea n and Rel iab le Grid Affor dabi lity Ac t (SB25) durin g the fall 2 025 veto session. The om nibus b ill s igned thi s month i mplemen t s refo rms to lo wer electricity prices and stren g then the power grid. THE ACT NOT ABL Y: • Returns re source pla nning authorit y to the ICC, • Creates a 3GW batter y storage procurement target and new storage program, • E st ablishes a local siting d ispute resolution proces s at the ICC, • F as t track s vir t ual power pla nt programs, • Builds on the Int erconnec tion Working Group process, and • E xpands both elec t ric and gas energ y efficienc y programming, among other provisions . The Ill inois Power Agency es timates that deployi ng 3 GW bat ter y s torage technolog y wil l save Ameren and ComEd customers $13 .4 bil lion over the nex t 20 years and net b enef its f rom the bill wi ll save Ameren and ComEd customers any where f rom $2 - 20/ month .

THE WIRE ISS UE  | JA N  PA G E  Re s ource A de quac y The IC C, alon g with the I lli nois E nvi ronmen tal Pr otection Agency (IE P A) and Il lino is Po wer Agency (IP A), re leased a statewide s tudy aff irming that Illin ois face s resour ce adeq uacy risk s in th e comi ng decade. T he repor t pro vides a tech nical sna pshot i nto c urrent a nd proj ec ted resou rce ad equacy and pro gress tow ard the s tate’s rene wable ene rg y deve lopm ent go als. KE Y T AKE AWAY S FROM THE STUDY INCLUDE THE F OLLOWING: • There are resource adequac y chall enges in P JM and MISO which are l ikely to affect t he cost s and reli ability of elec t ricit y supply for Il linois busi nes se s and consumers . • There are pathways for Ill inois to achieve its clima te goals in the elec tricit y s ec tor whil e ensuring a reli able elec tric gr id, usi ng availa ble commercial ized technologies . • Illi nois has the responsibility, authorit y, and polic y tools to conduct planni ng, identif y solutions, and suppor t i mplementing act ions to addr e ss the se challeng es. The agencies will l aunch a more detailed investigation into rel ev ant policy mechanisms to address t he repor t ’s findin gs in early 2026 . In 2021, th e Cli mate and E quitable Jobs Act (CEJA) di rec ted t he ICC, IEP A, and IP A to join tly prepare a repor t ever y fi ve yea r s to examine resource adequac y. The Ill inois General A s sembly recently augmented that with a more robust integrated resource plann ing process to be approved by the ICC, be ginn ing in 202 6 . For additional i nformation on the stud y and the corresp ondin g wor kshop proce ss, visit IP A ’s Resource Adequac y Study website .

THE WIRE ISS UE  | JA N  PA G E  Fe d e r al Up date The IC C rem ains en gaged a t all l evels of g overnm ent on decis ions th at im pact the afforda bil it y, reliabilit y, safet y, and environme ntal health impac t s of Illinoisans. In Illinois, t wo regional t ransmis sion organ izatio ns (RTOs) f aci lita te the whol esale sal e of energ y and pr ovis ion of tran smission ser vic e that impac t what cus tomer s pay for e lec tr icit y. P JM Interconnect ion, (P JM) c overs t he ComEd t er ritor y. The Midcontinen t Independe nt S ys tem Oper ator, (MISO), covers Ameren Illinois, MidAmeric an Energ y, and Mt . Carm el ser vice ar eas. Both RTOs also include the ser v ice areas of various mun icipali tie s and cooperati ves . The RT Os use bid -base d market s to determine economic dispa tch . P JM and MISO exercise func tional c ontrol over transmis sion l ines, balanc e th e real-time energ y market s, and admin ister th eir wholesale market auctions for elec tr ic capacit y through their tariff s . Th ese t ariffs mus t be f iled and approved by the Feder al Regulat or y E nerg y Commission (FERC), an independent agenc y that regu- lat e s the wholes ale sale o f ele ct ricit y, the t ranspor tation of natu r al gas and oil by pi pelines, and the const ruc tion and operation of interst ate na tural gas pipe li ne s . The ICC advocates for Ill inois’ i nterest s b efore FERC, at the t wo RTOs, and through par ticipation in r egional st ate committee s for each RT O—the Org anization of M ISO States (OM S) and the Organization of P JM States (OPSI) . Commissioner Carr igan is the current OMS Pr e sident and ser ves as the OMS Board Liaison for Il linois, and Commissioner McCab e ser ves as the OPSI Board Liaison . The ICC is cu rrently engaged wit h the RTOs on transmission infrast ruc ture plann ing and buil d out. In 202 4, FE RC iss ued O rder 1 920, which a ddres se s e xis ting ineff ic iencie s in the long-term transmis sion pl anning pr oce ss. Now, RT Os are work in g to comply with the order while appeals make their way throu gh cour t. The ICC is working t o ensure the relat ed 1 920 processe s are fruit ful and that transmis sion is bu ilt bet wee n RT Os to increase trans fer capabilities . P JM recently filed th eir prel imina r y compl iance filing f or Order 1920 in Decemb er 2025, and MISO is exp ec ted to file in June 20 26 . Additional ly, the ICC is ac tively engaged in reso urc e adequac y discussions, considering the large num be r of retiring fossil fuel generators, delays in g et t in g new generation online, i ncreasing dem and driven by data center growth, onshor ing of m anufac turing, and elec tri - fic ation of bui ldin g s and vehicl es, as well as increasi ngly frequent and longer d uration e x treme weather event s due to cli mate ch ange . For these reasons, capacit y cos t s are rising si gnif icantly. The ICC con tinues to ev alu ate and work to impr ove the bulk power s ystem and is esp ecially int eres ted in how newer technologies c an be utiliz ed—  includ ing distributed energ y resources, ad vanced transmis sion t e chnologies, and bat ter y s torage .

THE WIRE ISS UE  | JA N  PA G E  K e ep ing Ill inois ans S afe Pip e line S af et y In 2025, the ICC’ s Pi pe li ne Safet y Di vision, spent over 1,00 0 workdays in the f ield conducting audits to ensure natural gas transmission, distr ibution, pipeline facil itie s, liqu if ied natural gas, and liquid propa ne ga s act ivities are compl iant with federal and st ate safet y rules. Our Pipeli ne Safet y Inves tigators responde d to 12 major incidents in 2025, includin g house e xplosions that resul ted in five f atalities and 12 inj urie s . The ICC does not resp ond to ever y g as leak or emergency rep or ted to gas op erators, only those resulting in hospital ization due to inj ur y, a fatality, or proper t y da mage exceeding $50,0 0 0 cause d by a release of gas from a pipeline . Visit the Pip elin e S afet y Prog ra m to learn more . TR ANSP ARENCY AND PUBLIC INF ORM A TION EFF ORTS In 2025, the Pipeline Safet y T r ust recognized the ICC’ s Pipeli ne Safet y website for achieving a per fe ct website transparenc y score . Ill inois is one of only five st ates to receive a per fect s core, and the site h as recently b een modifie d to mak e it easier for users to f ind in formation .  EDUC A TION A ND EN FORCEMENT Underground util it y lines are unin tentional ly s truck e ver y few minut es in the US by some one who fails to comply with safe digging prac tices or wh en sites are not properly marked . Thes e incidents can c ause ser vice in terr uptions, environmental da mage, pers onal i njur y, or even death . The ICC ’ s One - C all E ducation and Enforc ement group is respon - sible f or spreading the word about 8 11 and enforci ng Ill inois’ Underground Util it y Faci lities Damag e Prevention Ac t . When the ICC receives a rep or t, our te am of investigators led by Manag er Bill Dan iel, gath er inf or mation t o deter mine if a violation occu r red . The average investigation takes 96 days, although One - Call staff elimin ated a large backlog of case s in 2025 . If an exc avator or facil it y owner is found in viola tion, a pe nal t y of up to $5,0 0 0 may be levied . All penalties are donat ed to th e not -for -prof it organization JULIE, to re duce e xcav ation damage s in Illinois . 900 potential viola tions re por ted i n 20 25 1,436 cases rev iew ed in 2 0 2 5 $ 4. 2 million i n c o l l ec t ed pen a lti es as o f No v 20 25 For p roject s larg e or sma ll, call 8 1 1! Y our uti lity will m ark any bu ried lines a t least 48 hours prior to star tin g an exca vation, fre e of cha rge.

THE WIRE ISS UE  | JA N  PA G E  T r anspor tation The IC C ’ s T ransportation Bur eau c onti nues to tak e steps to m odernize a nd adap t our ser vices and enf orcemen t effor t s. ICC P olice and transpor tation staff are forging ahead with the s tate’ s new safet y towing l aw, a nd our rail safet y team are har d at work on t he “3 E’ s ” of rail safet y —e ducation, enfor cement, and engi neer in g . This yea r, the t ranspor t ation team added safet y relocator registr ations to the onli ne T r anspor t ation Por tal . With t his addition, safet y relocator, publ ic car rier cer t ific ates, and cab cards regist rations can all be completed onli ne . IC C to G ai n S tr on g er T ow i ng E n f or ce men t Au thori t y U nd er New La w Starting J anua r y 1, 202 6, a new pred ato r y sa fet y to w reform la w took effect in Il lin ois. The new la w gives Illinois Commerce Commis sion Police additio nal tools to go after wreck-cha ser s by closing loophol es in the s ystem. “The wors t offender s rack up hundreds-of-th ousands in fine s, continue their il legal oper ations, and have even reregistered under new b usi ne ss names. Thanks to the reforms pas sed in SB204 0, my off icers will h ave bet ter tools to keep rogue towers off Illi nois’ roadways, ” said ICC Ch ief of Polic e Ruben Ramirez Jr. THE NEW L AW (P A  - ) WILL PRE VENT UNL AWFUL SA FET Y TOWS BY: • Impoundi ng tow truck s that violat e s tate safet y tow laws, • Revoking li cense plates for tow truck s with unpaid fines, • Preventin g known violators from reregister ing u nder a new busines s name, • Registering business and s torage locations with proof of owne rship/leas e, • Limiting t ow locations to registered s torage lots, lic ens ed repair shops, or the motorist ’s requested loc ation, • Proh ibiting tow operators from placing l iens against es sentials left in a vehicl e, such as car seat s, m edical devices, and identif ying documents, and • Barr ing any applicant mak ing fals e s tatement s from holdin g a commercial vehi cle safet y reloc ator registr ation for three years. ICC P olice ha ve be en mee ting weekly for months in preparation for chang es under th e new law, and our officer s are looking f or ward t o having these tool s in their arse nal t o s top bad actor s . ICCP also regularly par tner with the Chicago Poli ce Depar tment and Il linois S tate Poli ce to conduct s afet y towi ng details to ensure compli ance with local, s tate, and federal regulations . The Ill inois Commerci al Safet y T owi ng Law impose s safet y measures on towing c ompanies that relocate dama ged or disabled vehicles. In 20 13, a federal cour t preempted se veral of it s provisions, preventing the ICC from regul ating price, route, or s er vice . “I C C pol i c e ha v e r u n de tai l aft er d etai l t o s top wre ck - ch as er s who monitor di spatch rad io s, driv e u p to a cc id en t sce nes, and tak e adv an tag e o f u ns uspectin g d rive rs. ” —ICC Ch ief of Polic e Ruben Ramirez Jr. 1,8 0 0 a dmin is t r at ive citations is sue d $ 6 1 5, 000 co l l ect ed in f ine s

THE WIRE ISS UE  | JA N  PA G E  Y e ar -Rou nd R a il Sa f et y T rai n in gs & P ar tnersh i ps ICC Rai l Safet y Spe cial ist A isha J ack son is leadin g a major rail safet y initia ti ve with the Ill inois Depar t ment of T ransp or tation (IDO T) . Throu gh Op eration Lifes aver’s Authorized Volu nteer program, A isha h as tr ained highway mai ntenance crews from IDO T Distr ict s 1, 3, and 4 about the r isks of unsafe behaviors near tr acks and t rains, along with how to respond to rail-related emergencies. T o date, her pres entations have r eache d more than 1,00 0 workers. A key focus of the training i s th e Emergency Notif ication System (EN S) sign—an ess ential add ition to rail safet y over the pas t decade . The se blue and white si gns c an be found at ever y cros sing a nd list t he railroad’ s n ame, emergenc y contac t number, and a u nique crossing identification number. If a vehicle is stuck on the tr ack s or crossing sign als are ac tivated with no t rain in si ght, EN S signs provide critical information for no tif yin g th e railr oad . Educatin g crews on h ow to recogniz e and use this resource helps ensure qu icker emergenc y response t imes and gives wor kers the know -how to make pot entially life-sav in g inter ventions . In addition to traini ng field crews, Aisha has brought Oper ation Lifesaver ’ s Author ized V olunt ee r trainin g to IDO T Safet y Repres entatives and T r aini ng Manag er s across all nine IDO T distric t s . W ith acces s to Operation Lifes aver ’ s educational mat er ials, the se manag er s are now equi ppe d to incorporate rail safet y mes saging int o th eir ong oing safet y tr aini ngs. This move expands the ICC’ s rail safety education reach and ensures that the mes sage be comes a consistent par t of IDO T’ s culture a nd op erations . A former r ail road oper ations man ager, Aisha brings both professional expe r tise and p ers onal passion to this i nitia- tive . Her commitment to safet y has made her a power f ul advoc ate f or reducing incidents on Illi nois railways . Looking ahead, the ICC wi ll contin ue e xpandin g this vit al work by par t nering with local munici palities through IDO T’s T echnolog y T rans fer Program to deliver vir tual and in-p erson t rainin gs to public work s depar tment s s tate- wide . T ogether, we can s top track tr agedies, one t raini ng at a time . CHRI S MUR AUSKI NAMED IC C R A IL SAFET Y PROGR AM A DMIN ISTR A T OR Chris Murauski has been chos en as the ICC’ s new Rail Safety Program A dmi nistr ator, fill ing a vacanc y left by retiring Brian Vercruys se . Chris joined the Commission in 20 1 7 as par t of th e rail safet y group’ s i nspe c tion program . Chris’ s in volvement later expanded to include traff ic sign al int erconnec t s, crossing safet y improv ement plannin g, and projec t mana gement in the Chicagola nd and surrounding a rea . Prior to the Commission, Chris worked for a Class 1 railroad and rail subcon tr ac tor in various capacities includin g projec t manag ement, produc t engineering, and cons tr uct ion . Chris graduated with a B . S . in mechanical engineer ing from U IC and enjoys time with his t wo kids, c ycli ng, fix ing bi kes, improving his g olf game, and cooking . “U n derstand i n g how t o c ond u c t you rsel f a t a rai l grad e cr ossi n g is j ust as i m por ta nt a s u nde r stand i n g ho w to c ro ss the street . Bein g ab le t o i den ti f y wa rni n g s ig ns a nd kno wi n g wh a t ac ti ons t o ta ke i s a cri tica l co nv ersa tio n fo r the pu bl i c . T rai n s al wa ys ha v e the ri gh t of wa y. Stay o ff, s tay aw ay, s tay s afe . ” —ICC Rai l Safet y Spe cial ist A isha J ack son .

THE WIRE ISS UE  | JA N  PA G E  Rail Safe t y On Septem ber 1 7, the IC C and Il li nois Operati on Lifesa ver partnered with the Vil lage o f El mwood Park t o share l ife-savin g rail saf et y inf ormatio n and disc uss upcom ing i nfrastruc tur e impr ovem ents to the de adly W est Grand Aven ue cro s si ng. Despite the V ill age’ s bes t effor t s to improve striping, signa ge, and warning devices, t he W Grand Avenue crossing has lon g be en recognized as one of the most dang erous in Ill inois . Once completed, the Grand Gateway P rojec t will separate the Union Pacific rail li ne from Grand Avenue . “Ev er y three hours, some one in the US is h it by a tr ain . With more than 7,0 0 0 miles of track s and 10,0 0 0 public highway-rail crossings, t he sheer size of Il linois ’ rail sy stem put s us at a greater risk for col lision, ” said IC C Rail Safety Sp ecialist and Il linois Operation Lifes aver Coordin ator Aisha Jackson . The ICC ’s most recent five -year Crossing Safet y Improve - ment Pla n pr ioritized more than $4 0 0 mil lion in funds to help pay f or much -nee ded improvements at over 90 0 crossing locations, wit h projec ts r anging from installin g new w arning s ignals, g ates, and circu itr y, to larg er underpa ss projec t s, like the Grand Gateway Project at W Gr and Avenue . The IC C has alre ady approved $30 million i n Rebuild Il linois funds t o help pay for the W Grand Avenue projec t . Oth er major rail safety projec t s made pos sible by the ICC ’ s Crossing Safet y Impro vement Program and the Gr ade Crossing P rotec tion Fund (GCPF) this past year included: • $2. 9 million to upgrade nine new warning sign al devices at mul tiple highway-rail crossings in the Quad Cities. • $1 million for highway approach grade improvements at five Perr y County r ail crossin g s . • $ 1 15, 000 to i mprove publi c safet y and deter trespas sing on Metra tr ack s near Fen ton High School in Du Page Co unt y . • $2. 5 million for automatic flashing l ight signa ls wit h gates and const ant warnin g time circuitr y at t wo crossings on County Roa d E in I roquois Count y. Pic ture d left to r ight: Ella Chamber s, Br ian V ercr uy ss e, Ruben Ra mirez, Deput y Gover - nor Br ia Scu dder, Aisha Jack so n, Cay li Baker, Shauna Kelley, V il- lage of Elmwoo d Park Pre sident Skip S aviano, Chair man Doug Scot t an d John Ge isbush R A IL SAFET Y BY THE NUMBERS,  1 71 c omplaint s in vestigat ed | 5,68 4 miles of track i nspected | 7, 557 hazmat car s in sp ec t ed

THE WIRE ISS UE  | JA N  PA G E  C ybersec uri t y & Ri sk Man ag ement 20 2 5 was the bu siest year f or C yberse cu rit y & Risk M anag ement (C&RM) in the te am’ s 10-year h istor y at the IC C. F rom dock et testimon y and re view to i ntern al and external exer cises, C&RM had a posi tive effect on the state of cybersecurity in Illino is. ICC ’ s annual C ybers ecurit y Re sil ienc y Joint Exercise (CRJE) was held at Fermil ab in Batavia . Commissioner McCab e welcomed over 90 p eople from 30 org anizations, remarking: “Some - times we get st uck in ou r own day-to - day issues . Coming together to exercise our minds a nd discuss issue s and chal lenges gives us t he basis for solving problems when they occur. We build a nd s treng then relationships . ” The ICC led the State’ s ann ual GridE x E xercise, bringin g together over 60 p eople from 30 org a- nizations to the Air Nation al Guard conf erence center at the Spring field Airp or t. This na tional exercise included over 37 0 hos t organizations . ICC also par ticipated in the Army Nor th/Chi c ago Fire Depar tment Vis ta Forge exercise, which included state, local, and feder al agencies as well as representative s from ICC P olice, Ra il Safet y, and C &RM . Out side of Il linois, C& RM par ticipated in several NA RUC sponsored e vents and lead a 2-hour tabletop exercise on th e MITRE A T T&CK F r amework in Nashvill e, T enne ss ee . “Som etim es we get stuc k in o ur o wn da y-to- da y issues . Com i ng t og ether to exer cise ou r mi nd s and d isc uss issues an d cha ll en ges giv es us the ba sis f or solvi ng p rob lems w hen they oc cur. W e bu il d and stre ng then r ela tio nsh ip s. ” —Commissioner Ann McC abe

THE WIRE ISS UE  | JA N  PA G E  Notable Ac tions Janu ar y OTHER: The IC C distr ibuted its e x ternal newslet ter, The Wire, to upda te industr y stakeholder s on Il linois ’ energ y mi le - stones and major ICC decisions m ade over th e past year. Febr uar y OTHER: Governor JB Prit zker appointed Michael T. Carr igan to ser ve a second fi ve- year t er m on the Illi nois Comme rce Commis sion . NA TUR AL GA S: The ICC di rec ted Peoples Gas to retire high-r isk cast iron and duc tile i ron (CI /DI) pi pe s in the utility ’ s natural gas distr ibution sy stem . The de cision concluded the ICC’ s i nves tigation int o Peoples’ long over -budget System Mode rnization Program (SMP), redirec ting the utili t y to be t ter focus its retirement work on the highes t - risk pipes. OTHER: The Ill inois Senate con f irmed D oug Scott as Chairman of t he Illinois Comme rce Commis sion . PREDA TORY TOWING: The ICC joi ned S enator Cel ina Villanueva and Representative W il l Davis to un veil legisla- tion to reform the Illi nois Commercial Safety T owin g Law and crack down on predator y towing prac tices. RESO URCE ADEQUACY: In the second of a ser ies of policy s es sions on resource adequacy, this session examined how and where demand for elec tr icit y is exp ec ted to grow; the f uture of I llinoi s’ nuclea r f leet; and the prospe ct of data center co- location . Marc h SUPPLIER DIV ERSIT Y: Divers e spending by the st ate ’ s largest investor-owned utilities remained steady for a four th year in a row a t over $2 bill ion, accordin g to the 202 4 Off ice of Diversit y and Community A ffairs Annual Repor t. R A IL SA FET Y: The ICC approve d it s annual f ive -year Crossing S afet y Improve ment Progr am (2026 - 2030) to implement l ife -saving safet y upgrade s at hi ghway- rail cros sings acros s Illinois . A p r il CONSUMER AWAREN ESS: The ICC raised awarene ss about the one - call number 81 1 to protect re sidents and the integrit y of Ill inois’ u nderground utilit y infrast ruc ture for Safe Digging Month . CONSUMER AWAREN ESS: The ICC shared smart t ips for consumers ahead of the spr in g moving season . RESO URCE ADEQUACY: The IC C continued it s ser ies of resource adequac y policy s es sions with fur the r discussions on char ting the path to Il linois ’ shor t - and medium-term dec arbonization goals . The s es sion focused on distr ibuted energ y re sources (DE R s), dem and- side ma nagement technologies, and how vir tu al power plant s (V PPs) can agg regate these re sources to bet ter deliver benef it s to both the gr id and customer s . May CONSUMER AWAREN ESS: The ICC shared energ y eff iciency t ips for c onsumers to help off set the e xpe c ted rise in summer energ y cos t s . OTHER: The Ill inois Senate con f irmed Michael T. C arr igan to a second f ive -year term on the ICC . UTILIT Y /EMERGEN CY PREPAREDN ESS: The ICC held its annu al Summer Preparedness Policy S es sion to ensu re the s tate’ s Regional T r ansmission Organizations (RT O), energ y ut il ities, and consumer advocates were prepared to meet peak demand . Jun e NA TUR AL GA S: The ICC encouraged Nicor c us tomers to provide comment on the utility ’ s propose d rate increase at a publi c hearing in Joli et. CEJA: The ICC encouraged community input on Ameren Ill inois and ComE d elec tr ic grid plans at a set of vir tual and in-pe rson wor ksh ops in Decatur and Chicago.

THE WIRE ISS UE  | JA N  PA G E  Jul y RESO URCE ADEQUACY: The IC C held a res ource adequac y policy s es sion to gai n a greater underst andin g of how the countr y ’ s power s ys tem operators f unction and what they ’ re doi ng to ensure region al resource adequac y. The se ven RT Os and Independe nt S ys tem Oper ators (I SO) gave presentations about t heir str uc tures, oper ations, and how they interac t with s tate public pol ic y goals in their respec tive s er v ice territories. R A IL SA FET Y: The IC C kicked -off Rail Safet y Week in Ill inois, marking the 12t h year o f th e statewide awarenes s initia tive . Aug us t NA TUR AL GA S: The ICC offered Nicor c us tomers an additional oppor tunit y to commen t on th e utili t y ’ s propose d rate incre ase at a public hearing i n Elgin . NA TUR AL GA S: The ICC encouraged Ameren Illi nois customer s to provide publ ic comment on the utility ’ s propose d natu r al gas rate increase at a pa ir of public hearings in Springf ield and East St. Louis . Sept ember CONSUMER AWAREN ESS: Low-income phone cus tomers were made aware o f th e FC C’ s Lifeline d iscount program for phone and broadband ser v ice . SUPPLIER DIV ERSIT Y: The ICC ’ s O ffice of Diver sit y and Commun it y A ffairs held it s Annual Suppl ier Diver sit y Poli c y Se ssion . President s and CE Os of Ill inois’ l arges t investor - owned utilities gave pres entations to the ICC about their effor ts to ex pand diverse spen d . A ssist agencies spoke about ways utilities and diverse suppliers can navigate ch ange to ensur e continued success. O c tob er OTHER: Commissioner Carr igan was elec ted President of the Org anization of M ISO States (OM S) Board of Director s . Carr igan previously ser ved as OMS Vice -President. His term beg ins J anuar y 1, 2026 . SUPPLIER DIV ERSIT Y: The ICC held its annual Non-Utilit y Suppli er Diver sit y Policy Se ssion focusing on ch allenges, bes t pra ct ices, and innovative ideas to promo te increased suppli er diver sit y in col laboration with t he st ate’ s l arges t non- utility companies (ARES, AGS, renewables, non- renewable, and energ y eff icienc y installers). RESO URCE ADEQUACY: The final policy se ssion in a ser ies about res ource adequacy provided an over view of MISO and P JM and how st akeholders engage with the RTO and ISO process es to ensure resource adequacy in th eir resp ec t ive s er vice areas. Nov ember NA TUR AL GA S: The ICC cut $55 . 8 mil lion from Ameren Ill inois’ rate r e quest for it s natural gas deliver y s er vices . The decision reduced Am eren’ s $ 128 . 8 mil lion request by about 43 percent and approv e d a 9 .60 percent return on equit y. NA TUR AL GA S: The ICC cut $ 1 46 . 5 mill ion from Nicor ’ s rate reques t for its natural gas deliver y ser vices . The de cision reduced Nicor’s in itial $3 1 4 . 3 mil lion request by near ly 4 7 pe rcent a nd approved a 9 .60 p ercent retu r n on equit y. UTILIT Y /EMERGEN CY PREPAREDN ESS: The ICC held it s annu al Winter Pr eparedne ss Policy Se ssion to discuss how RT Os and th e na tural g as and elec tric utilities plan to meet peak demand during I llinois ’ cold win ter months. December RESO URCE ADEQUACY: The IC C, IEP A, and th e IP A submitted a joint repor t to the Ge neral A s sembly looking at resource adequac y for 2030 . The stud y’s findi ngs underscore d that that I llino is’ future resource adequac y critic ally depends on timely resource development, regional m arket conditions, and coordina ted plannin g across P JM and MISO. RENE WABLE ENER GY: The IC C initia ted an invest igation to develop and adopt an updat ed Ren ewable Energ y Access Plan . The REA P aims t o identif y zones suitable for renewable energ y de velopment and develop a pla n to connec t the RE AP zones with suff icient transmission capacit y . CEJA /UTILIT Y ACC OUNT A BILIT Y: In separate decisions, the ICC str uck $25.4 mi llion from ComE d’ s 202 4 rate reconcili ation reques t and $ 11 .2 mill ion from Ameren’ s . The decisions are the f irst to use th e new per formance- base d regula tions se t by CEJA, which compare act ual utility sp endin g with inves tment s previously approved in the utilities’ mul ti -year grid and rate plans . A s par t of the evaluation, ComE d was award an incremental adju s tment of +0 .0 6 basis points to it s cost of equit y; A meren was awarded + 3 . 2 basis points.

Ill inois Co mmerce Co mmis sion Leland B uilding 52 7 East C apitol Av enue, Spring f ield, IL 62 70 1 Michael A. B ilandic Building 160 Nor th L aSalle, S te . C-8 00, Chicago, IL 6 0 601 Complianc e Off ice 95 11 Harrison, De s Pla ines, IL 60 0 1 6 UTILIT Y S ERV ICE COMPL AINT S & GENER AL INFORM A TION T oll fr ee: 1- 8 0 0 - 52 4 - 07 9 5 Out of State Calle rs: 2 17- 7 8 2 - 2 0 2 4 T T Y: 888- 2 6 1 -4 188 File a Compla int Onli ne TR A NSPOR T A TI ON QUES TIONS 2 17-7 8 2 - 4 6 5 4 email the T ranspor tation Division