Welcome to the Illinois Competitive Energy Association (ICEA)
Competitive Suppliers Promoting Illinois' Retail Energy Markets
The Illinois Competitive Energy Association (ICEA) is an Illinois-based trade association of competitive energy suppliers dedicated to ensuring that Illinois citizens, businesses, and all other energy consumers have the opportunity to enjoy the many benefits that robust competitive energy markets can bring. ICEA members are alternative retail electric suppliers (ARES) and alternative gas suppliers (AGS) whose mission is to preserve and enhance retail electric and gas customer choice and competition. Our members include Ameren Energy Marketing Company; Champion Energy, LLC; Constellation NewEnergy, Inc.; Direct Energy Services, LLC; Exelon Energy Company; FirstEnergy Solutions Corp.; Integrys Energy Services, Inc.; MC Squared Energy Services, LLC; Nordic Energy Services, LLC; and Reliant.
Retail Competition and Customer Choice - Providing Real Value to Illinois' Energy Consumers
Due to the Illinois Legislature's foresight and the Commerce Commission's market-based policies, business, governmental, non-profit and residential customers may buy their electricity and natural gas supply from competitive energy suppliers rather than being stuck with the local utility as their only supply choice.
Retail electric competition is a resounding success in Illinois and provides commercial and industrial customers the choice of electric products, green power options, and other related services unavailable from the incumbent utility. The ARES provide electric supply service, often at substantial savings, which provides these job creators and engines of the Illinois economy the edge they need to manage their energy costs, stay in business, and compete in today's marketplace. More than half of all electricity used in Illinois is competitively provided by the ARES. Over 75% of the commercial, industrial, governmental, and other non-residential electric demand is served by ARES.
Retail electric competition and customer choice among residential customers is taking off and enabling residential customers to stretch their energy dollars. As of early 2012, 261,998 residential customers have switch to retail electric suppliers as their source of electric supply. Municipal Aggregation is the latest example of electric competition. In 2011, 19 communities left ComEd for ARES supply. In 2012, 211 communities in ComEd and 77 communities in Ameren have March primary ballot referenda to solicit electric supply from the ARES. Electric competition and choice, primarily enjoyed by the non-residential market to date, is now rapidly spreading to the residential market along with its benefits.
Competition for larger commercial and industrial natural gas customers occurred at the federal level in the 1980's, and these larger customers have been buying competitive natural gas service for many years. Due to programs offered to residential and small business customers of Nicor Gas, North Shore Gas, and Peoples Gas, these smaller customers currently have the option to purchase their natural gas supply from an alternative gas supplier (AGS). Over 300,000 customers who have chosen an AGS to provide their natural gas supply.
