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Why Is My ComEd Bill So High? 7 Things to Check First (October 2026)
guide10 min read

Why Is My ComEd Bill So High? 7 Things to Check First (October 2026)

Ryan Cook••

Usually it isn't a mistake. When a ComEd bill looks too high this fall, the most common hidden cause is a credit that got smaller: the Carbon-Free Energy Resource Adj line was a credit of 1.628¢ per kWh on September 2026 bills, and ComEd's updated tariff sheet puts October's at just 0.115¢. That happened in the same month ComEd's posted price dropped to 10.103¢ per kWh (October 1, 2026 through May 31, 2027). Check that line and six others in order, and you'll usually find the answer in ten minutes.

I sell solar in Illinois, and people hand me their utility bills every week asking what went wrong. I already walked through the Ameren version. ComEd's bill has its own quirks, and this October one of them is hiding in plain sight.

The October 2026 numbers on your ComEd bill

What to compare Figure Period
ComEd price to compare (supply + transmission) 10.103¢/kWh Oct 1, 2026 – May 31, 2027
Same price on September bills 10.400¢/kWh September 2026
Same price last October 9.689¢/kWh Oct – Dec 2025
Purchased Electricity Adjustment (ComEd supply only) −1.551¢/kWh (credit) October 2026
Purchased Electricity Adjustment, prior month −0.087¢/kWh (credit) September 2026
Carbon-Free Energy Resource Adj (all customers) −1.628¢/kWh (credit) September 2026
Carbon-Free Energy Resource Adj (all customers) −0.115¢/kWh (1.148¢ base credit, 1.033¢ true-up charge) October 2026
Delivery, single-family without electric heat 6.333¢/kWh Bills since April 2026
Fixed customer + metering charges $19.37/month Bills since April 2026
ComEd-area aggregation deals with a fixed price 96 (77 at or below 10.103¢) ICC list, Oct 8, 2026

1. Find the line called "Carbon-Free Energy Resource Adj"

This is the one almost nobody knows about. Under the 2021 Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, ComEd customers share in a state program that supports Illinois nuclear plants. When wholesale power is expensive, the plants pay money back, and it lands on your bill as a credit. ComEd's tariff says the base amount and a monthly true-up are combined and "designated on retail customer bills as the Carbon-Free Energy Resource Adj."

On September 2026 bills, that credit was 1.628¢ per kWh. ComEd's updated informational sheet, effective September 18, puts October's at just 0.115¢: a 1.148¢ base credit, almost wiped out by a 1.033¢ monthly true-up charge. The Citizens Utility Board flagged the same drop in a September 28 consumer alert.

This isn't new, by the way. Last fall the same line went from a 1.031¢ credit in September 2025 to just 0.088¢ in October 2025. On a 750 kWh month, losing about 1.5¢ of credit means roughly $11 less taken off your bill, and it applies to every ComEd customer, whoever sells you the power.

2. Look at whose name is on the supply section

Here's where ComEd's October gets interesting. ComEd also runs a monthly Purchased Electricity Adjustment on its own supply, and the Illinois Commerce Commission's historical table shows it jumped to a 1.551¢ credit in October, from 0.087¢ in September. If ComEd supplies your power, that bigger credit roughly cancels the smaller nuclear credit. Your energy cost lands within a few dollars of September.

If a supplier's name is on that section, you don't get ComEd's adjustment. The state's Plug In Illinois page is blunt about it: "You will not be subject to the Purchased Electricity Adjustment when you switch to an ARES" (an alternative supplier). You pay your contract price and still lose the nuclear credit. That's the household most likely to see a jump this month.

Town aggregation deals look better in ComEd territory than in Ameren's. I pulled the Commission's list on October 8. Of 164 live ComEd-area deals, 67 simply match ComEd's price plus its adjustment. Of the 96 with a fixed price, 77 sit at or below 10.103¢. Rockford, Loves Park and Roscoe pay 9.99¢ through June 2028. Lake Zurich and Riverside pay 10.9¢.

But for October alone, ComEd's own supply nets about 8.55¢ after that credit, and 89 of the 96 fixed deals cost more for the month. The adjustment swings every month (it was a charge of 8.166¢ in May 2026), and Plug In Illinois says future values "would be expected to average near zero for the planning year." Judge a deal over a year, not one statement. If you signed with a door-to-door supplier instead of a town program, my supplier post walks through how to get back to ComEd.

3. Compare this October to last October

People compare October to September and get confused. Compare it to a year ago instead.

ComEd's posted price is 10.103¢ now against 9.689¢ last October, about 4% higher, per the Commission's table. Add each year's two adjustments and ComEd's supply side works out to about 8.44¢ this October versus about 8.13¢ last October, using ComEd's 0.115¢ October figure. That's a modest climb on the supply side, and delivery climbed too, resetting to 6.333¢ with April 2026 bills. My October rate post has the ten-year table.

4. Count the days

Every ComEd bill prints the service period. A 34-day bill is about 21% longer than a 28-day bill, and it'll look about 21% higher at the same daily usage. Meter reads drift around weekends and holidays. Divide kWh by days before comparing two months, and the "spike" often disappears.

5. Check your budget billing review

ComEd's budget billing page says it sets your payment "by averaging 12 months of past usage," and that after the first few months it will "review your account every 3 months to keep your Budget Billing payments in line with your actual usage."

A summer at 10.400¢ means a fall review can nudge the payment up. And if you drop the plan, ComEd says "you'll be charged your regular monthly amount and any past differences on your next bill." That one surprises people. The budget billing post covers how both utilities handle it.

6. Look for a new heating load

October is space heater season. A 1,500-watt heater running eight hours a day uses about 360 kWh a month. At ComEd's 10.103¢ posted price plus 6.333¢ delivery, that's roughly $59 a month before riders, taxes and the monthly adjustments.

If your home heats with electricity, check which delivery class you're in. ComEd's electric space heat class pays 3.215¢ per kWh for delivery instead of 6.333¢, and some homes that qualify aren't on it. I laid out how to check in the electric heat post. If you're weighing a heat pump, the heat pump vs. gas furnace math runs this winter's numbers.

7. Accept the part you can't shop

Some of the bill doesn't care who supplies your power. Customer and metering charges run $19.37 a month before your first kilowatt-hour. Delivery is 6.333¢ per kWh. ComEd's informational sheets add about another penny per kWh across five riders in October: renewable portfolio 0.516¢, energy efficiency 0.369¢, energy transition 0.084¢, zero emission 0.069¢ and environmental cost 0.007¢. None of that changes when you switch suppliers or leave an aggregation deal. The delivery breakdown shows every line.

If money is tight, check the discount

Starting February 2026, the Illinois Commerce Commission says ComEd offers sliding-scale discount rates, and customers at or below 300% of the federal poverty level "can receive a 5-80 percent monthly discount on their electric bills." The bill help post has the income limits.

If you still think the bill is wrong

Call ComEd first and ask them to walk through the reads. If that doesn't settle it, the Commission's Consumer Services Division takes informal complaints at 1-800-524-0795, weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., or online. The Commission says counselors typically resolve them "within 1 to 14 days," and if that doesn't resolve it, you can take it to a formal complaint.

Where solar fits, and where it doesn't

My honest take: most of these seven causes have nothing to do with solar. Check the credit line and the supplier name first. Those cost nothing.

The bigger issue is that ComEd's bill now has three moving parts on the energy side: a price that resets twice a year, an adjustment that swings every month, and a nuclear credit tied to state carbon mitigation contracts that end May 31, 2027. A $0-down solar lease doesn't touch your delivery charges, but it does replace a big share of that moving supply side with a predictable rate as low as $0.10/kWh, with the full 25-year schedule written into the contract before you sign. Whether that beats your bill depends on your roof and your usage, and every figure here is an estimate until it's your actual bill.

Upload a bill to the rate analyzer below, or run the savings calculator. If you'd rather have someone read it with you, call me at (618) 217-2001 or use the contact page. The ComEd rates page keeps the current numbers.

Sources

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Enter your bill (or upload it) and watch your projected utility cost over the next 10–30 years — next to a predictable $0-down solar rate. The gap is your potential overpayment.

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Upload your Ameren or ComEd bill to see what electricity is costing you — and what it could cost over the next 25 years.

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How to find your rate on your bill:

  1. Find “Current Electricity Charges” (the total dollar amount for electricity this period)
  2. Find your total kWh used for the billing period
  3. Divide the charges by the kWh: $charges ÷ kWh = your $/kWh rate
  4. Example: $180 ÷ 1,100 kWh = $0.164/kWh (16.4¢)
Conservative (2%)Historical (4-6%)Aggressive (10%)

Frequently Asked Questions

Most high ComEd bills this fall trace back to one of seven lines on the bill: a shrinking credit, who supplies your power, the price compared with last year, the number of days billed, a budget billing adjustment, a new heating load, or the delivery charges that don't move when you use less. Start with the line called Carbon-Free Energy Resource Adj. ComEd's tariff sheet shows it was a credit of 1.628 cents per kWh on September 2026 bills and just 0.115 cents on October bills, because a 1.148-cent base credit is mostly cancelled by a 1.033-cent monthly true-up charge. That shrink applies to every ComEd customer, including people who buy power from a supplier. On 750 kWh it's roughly $11 less credit than September. Then check the supply section, the days and your usage before you assume anything is wrong.
It's the line that settles up ComEd customers' share of a state program supporting Illinois nuclear plants, created by the 2021 Climate and Equitable Jobs Act. When wholesale power prices run high, the plants pay money back and it shows up as a credit; when prices are low, it can become a charge. ComEd sets a base amount for each season and adds a monthly reconciliation factor, and the bill shows the two combined. On September 2026 bills the combined credit was 1.628 cents per kWh. In October it's a 1.148 cent base credit minus a 1.033 cent true-up charge, which leaves a credit of just 0.115 cents. It applies to all retail customers, whoever supplies the power. Under state law the carbon mitigation contracts end May 31, 2027, so this credit is expected to wind down after that, though ComEd's tariff allows final true-ups on later bills.
The headline price did, but not by much. ComEd's price to compare is 10.103 cents per kWh from October 1, 2026 through May 31, 2027, down from 10.400 cents on September bills and about 4 percent above last October's 9.689 cents, per the Illinois Commerce Commission's historical table. Two adjustments moved in opposite directions at the same time. ComEd's Purchased Electricity Adjustment became a 1.551 cent credit in October, up from 0.087 cents in September, while the carbon-free credit shrank from 1.628 cents to 0.115. For a home on ComEd's own supply, those roughly cancel, so the energy side of a 750 kWh bill comes out within a few dollars of September. For a home on a fixed-price supplier contract, only the shrinking credit applies, which works out to roughly $11 more on 750 kWh.
It depends on how your deal is priced, and ComEd territory looks very different from Ameren's. On the Illinois Commerce Commission's aggregation list as of October 8, 2026, ComEd-area towns have 164 live deals. Sixty-seven simply match ComEd's price to compare plus its monthly adjustment, so they track the utility. Ninety-six have a fixed price, and 77 of those sit at or below ComEd's posted 10.103 cents. Rockford, Loves Park and Roscoe pay 9.99 cents through June 2028, while Lake Zurich and Riverside pay 10.9 cents. October is the catch: after ComEd's 1.551 cent credit, its own supply nets about 8.55 cents, and 89 of the 96 fixed deals cost more than that for the month. That adjustment changes every month and the state expects it to average near zero over the year, so judge a deal over a full year, not one bill.
Call ComEd first, because the utility holds the meter data and can explain or correct a read faster than anyone. If that doesn't settle it, file an informal complaint with the Illinois Commerce Commission's Consumer Services Division at 1-800-524-0795, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., online at the Commission's complaints page, or by mail to 527 East Capitol Avenue in Springfield. The Commission says a counselor typically works the complaint out with the utility within 1 to 14 days, and if the informal process doesn't resolve it, you can file a formal complaint. Before you call, pull four things off the bill: the billing period dates, the meter reads, the supply section and the Carbon-Free Energy Resource Adj line. Most high bills I look at turn out to be correct but explainable, and those four lines get you to the answer faster.

Related City Guides

Chicago, ILRockford, ILAurora, ILJoliet, ILElgin, ILEvanston, ILLoves Park, ILLake Zurich, IL

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Here's how Illinois homeowners can still capture federal solar value in 2026.How Much Does a Solar Lease Cost Per Month in Illinois? (2026)What does a solar lease actually cost per month in Illinois? Real 2026 numbers, what's included, and how a predictable lease rate compares to a rising utility bill.Ameren vs ComEd 2026: Which Costs More Per kWh? (ComEd Runs ~1.5¢ Higher)ComEd averages ~17¢/kWh, Ameren Illinois ~15.5¢/kWh. See the full 2026 breakdown: supply charges, delivery fees, summer spikes, and how much it costs per month.Ameren Rate Increase 2026: Summer Rate Ends — Oct 1 Price to Compare Is 10.441¢ (ComEd 10.103¢)Updated September 30, 2026: the Ameren rate increase put the summer Price to Compare at 11.326¢/kWh (ComEd 10.399¢) through September 30; from October 1 it is 10.441¢ (ComEd 10.103¢). See the average Illinois electric rate now, why bills jumped June 1, and what changed October 1.The Iran War Is Sending Oil Prices Through the Roof — Will Your Illinois Electric Bill Follow?Oil is at $112/barrel after the Strait of Hormuz blockade. Here's how the Iran conflict could push Illinois electricity rates even higher — and what you can do now.Why Your Ameren Bill Keeps Going Up (and What MISO Has to Do With It)Ameren bills jumped 18-22% in summer 2025 and rose again June 1, 2026. Here's why MISO capacity auctions are driving your rates up and what you can do about it.The Real Cost of Solar Panels in Illinois: 2026 BreakdownWhat do solar panels actually cost in Illinois in 2026? Real numbers for cash purchase, lease, and Solar for All — from an installer who gets prices below the state average.Selling a House With Leased Solar Panels in Illinois (2026 Guide)Selling a house with leased solar panels in Illinois? Here's how the lease transfer works, what buyers actually think, and why it's not the problem most people expect — owned systems too.Solar Lease vs Buying Panels: I Did the Math for IllinoisShould you lease or buy solar panels in Illinois? I broke down the real numbers for both paths using current 2026 prices, incentives, and Ameren/ComEd rates.Data Centers = 70% of Illinois's Rate Spike (Here's What It Costs You)Data centers drove 70% of Illinois's capacity-cost spike in 2026. See the PJM/MISO mechanism, the per-household cost impact, and what to do to protect your bill.ComEd Rate Increase 2026: Oct 1 Supply Drops to 10.103¢, but Delivery Didn'tUpdated Oct 2026: ComEd's 2026 rate increase put the Price to Compare at 10.399¢/kWh through September 30; from October 1 it is 10.103¢/kWh. What changed June 1, what reset October 1, the ICC delivery increases that didn't reset, and your all-in cost per kWh.Illinois Electricity Rates Have Nearly Doubled Since 2021 — Here's What That Means for Your BillIllinois electricity rates have surged 90%+ since 2021. Here's what's driving the increases, what to expect next, and how to protect your household.Illinois Solar Incentives 2026: 7 Programs Worth $12,000-$18,000+Illinois solar incentives 2026: Illinois Shines RECs, the new $20/REC customer-owned adder, $300/kW DG rebate, battery rebate, net metering, and property tax exemption — worth $12,000-$18,000+ on an owned system. Plus no-cost Solar for All for income-eligible households.Solar Battery Backup in Illinois — What It Actually Powers and Whether It's Worth ItWhat does a solar battery actually run during an outage? How much does it cost with the $300/kWh rebate? Here's the honest breakdown for Illinois homeowners.
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