ElectricChoice.com is not affiliated with Plug In Illinois. ElectricChoice.com is a website that educates consumers about electricity deregulation and allows them to shop for electric rates/plans online.
Plug In Illinois is a program owned and operated by the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) as a solution to help consumers in Illinois seamlessly navigate the state?s deregulated energy market. The program was brought about in 1997 after the state?s electric service industry was completely restructured. This act, known as the Illinois Electric Service Customer Choice and Rate Relief Law, allowed consumers in the state to choice their electric supplier.
Since this movement first unfolded in 1997, residents of Illinois have responded tremendously, with approximately 75% of customers receiving their electricity from a retail electric supplier instead of their state utility.
As for Plug In Illinois at the Illinois Commerce Commission, their goal is a simple one: to help create an appropriate balance between electricity suppliers and consumers to make sure that the utility service is always safe, reliable and priced appropriately for consumers.
According to Plug In Illinois, over 2 million residential customers along in the state have switched to a Retail Electric Suppliers since deregulation took place.
The service?s website helps customer choose the right natural gas and electric companies within the state by listing rates and plans for all competing companies in the area. While the site can help consumers see what rates are available, it is open to every company in the state, meaning it does not insure that consumers are choosing from pre-screened organizations.
However, Plug in Illinois does offer a library of information for Illinois residents including a glossary of terms, as well as information about choosing electric suppliers. The organization?s goal is to make sure that all residents in the area know their rights, risks and responsibilities when it comes to buying energy.
Plug In Illinois and the ICC also have certain systems in place designed to protect their customers and to make sure that consumers are aware of how electric suppliers can obtain information, and go under the certification process of the ICC. The organization also publishes names of companies that fail to meet the terms of their contracts. Residents in the state can also file a complaint about an electric supplier, or their local utility, through Plug In Illinois and the ICC, if they feel as though the company is not operating in an honest manner.
Ultimately, with their straightforward goal of helping to make sure both consumers and energy utilities get the assistance that they need in navigating Illinois? deregulated market, Plug in Illinois has helped countless consumers switch energy providers for their home or business.