July 27--Commonwealth Edison will hold energy fairs at satellite locations across the region Monday in order to get money to thousands of people struggling to pay their electricity bills in northern Illinois.
The social service agencies that have traditionally administered ComEd's energy assistance programs have shut down pending the budget stalemate in Springfield. As a result, ComEd will open 11 satellite sites to process applications for low-income customers, according to a company announcement.
The locations are in Chicago, South Holland, Waukegan, Aurora and DeKalb and will be open from about 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. ComEd has hired 24 former personnel to help. ComEd also plans to hold two energy fairs in the coming days and weeks.
ComEd delivers electricity to about 1.2 million customers in Chicago.
Low-income Illinoisans who rely on energy assistance money were already affected this year by Gov. Bruce Rauner's decision to withhold a separate pot of state money that is normally used to help pay electric and gas bills. The program, which helped lower energy bills for about 400,000 Illinois households last year, is funded through federal dollars and state fees that are collected from Illinois utility customers.
ComEd's program is funded through shareholders. As part of the "smart grid" law, which was enacted in 2011, the company agreed to dedicate $10 million a year for five years to help customers pay utility bills.
The assistance goes toward military families, veterans and senior citizens, as well as those who may be unemployed, sick or disabled, the company said.
The fairs and additional assistance, which ComEd estimates will cost less than $100,000, will be funded through the $10 million a year that has been dedicated to the program.
The fairs will also be held from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Centro de Informacion in Elgin and from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 4 at Mount Vernon Baptist Church.
cdizikes@tribpub.com
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