By ANDREW ADAMS
Capitol News Illinois
aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com
CHICAGO – Natural gas is fueling a fight between consumer advocates, a powerful utility company and the state. Amid competing advertising campaigns, accusations of mismanagement and state decarbonization efforts, the Illinois Commerce Commission is starting a process that will shape how the state regulates the increasingly controversial industry.
While Chicago considers passing an ordinance to ban natural gas in some new building construction – following the lead of places like New York City and Seattle – state officials are moving more slowly in an attempt to ensure Illinois meets its goal of having 100 percent renewable energy by 2050.
The ICC launched a process dubbed the “Future of Gas” last week that will inform the governor, legislature and other policymakers on potential policy changes. The process was initiated by the ICC after they tamped down requests for rate increases from all of the state’s major gas utilities.
Read more: Advocates hail regulatory ‘earthquake’ as state slashes requested gas rate increases
“We need to get this right,” ICC Chair Doug Scott said at a virtual workshop with over 350 advocates and industry officials last week. “We get one really good shot at this.”
He added the process “is not designed to meet a pre-ordained conclusion.”
Rob Kelter, senior attorney at the Environmental Law and Policy Center, praised the new approach to regulation and Scott’s personal attention to the proceeding while welcoming the fact that these discussions are happening outside of a traditional rate case, where utilities have more say in setting the agenda.
“Everybody pays gas and electric bills and also everyone is affected by the current gas and electric systems,” Kelter said.
Both electric and gas companies are involved with the “Future of Gas” proceeding, which is expected to last until summer 2025, although the precise timeline and the scope of what will be discussed are still tentative.
“What I hope will result from this is a lot of good, productive discussion that objectively analyzes the state’s options for reducing carbon emissions,” Kelter said.
A spokesperson for Peoples Gas, Chicago’s natural gas utility, echoed that sentiment and added the state’s gas distribution system will play a major part in reaching the state’s climate goals.
“Natural gas, along with emerging technologies such as Renewable Natural Gas and Hydrogen, will be critical to meeting Chicagoans’ need for reliable, affordable, decarbonized energy,” Peoples Gas’ David Schwartz told Capitol News Illinois in a statement.
Schwartz pointed to technological developments in capturing natural gas from waste products like food, using new gas-powered appliances for heating buildings and the ongoing replacement of pipes as steps that would reduce or even eliminate the gas system’s carbon footprint.
But Kelter said he is skeptical of the claims made by boosters of the new technology – a position shared by other environmental and consumer advocates.
“The state has climate goals that require us to change how we heat and cool our homes,” he said. “We’ve got to move toward a system that’s reliant on renewable energy.”
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government. It is distributed to hundreds of print and broadcast outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, along with major contributions from the Illinois Broadcasters Foundation and Southern Illinois Editorial Association.
