Welcome to Newswire — your weekly guide to Chicago government, civic action and what action we can take to make our city great, featuring public meeting coverage by City Bureau’s Documenters.

Quote/Term of the Week

“I just realized I know who regulates utilities in Chicago. So, I looked up how to call the ICC.”

— Tristion McDowell, Chicago Documenters Program Manager, on what he did when he experienced service issues with Peoples Gas.

[Sept. 3, 2026]

Who ya gonna call?

This summer, a City Bureau staff member’s gas was wrongfully shut off. When he struggled to get help from Peoples Gas, he called the agency that oversees public utility companies — an option we laid out in a previous edition of Newswire.

Here’s what happened:

After three months of his Peoples Gas bill nearing $500, Tristion McDowell (Chicago Documenters Program Manager here at City Bureau) realized in February he wasn’t going to be able to pay it in full. 

He called Peoples Gas to set up a payment arrangement plan, which is supposed to help customers catch up on bills over several months.

On that call, McDowell set up a plan where he would pay $96 per month in addition to the current month’s bill, until the past bills were paid off. 

In July, he got a new credit card and forgot to update his payment method on his Peoples Gas account, so he missed a payment. Once McDowell realized what happened, he immediately called Peoples Gas, updated his payment method and paid his bill. 

That same week, Peoples Gas sent him a letter saying if he didn’t pay the bill, his gas would be shut off. But since he’d already paid, he figured there wouldn’t be an issue.

On Aug. 10, the gas to McDowell's home was shut off anyway. 

For three days, he spent hours on the phone with Peoples Gas, sometimes for up to five hours at a time. While acknowledging the shutoff was an error, representatives told him the earliest the gas could be turned back on was Aug. 15. McDowell repeatedly asked to speak to a manager, but was denied. 

So on Aug. 13, McDowell decided to call up the Illinois Commerce Commission. 

PAUSE: That name might seem familiar. Earlier this year, we wrote about Chicagoans pushing back against a proposed rate hike from Peoples Gas. The company wants to institute a $202 million rate hike which, if passed, would mean an average of another $11 per month, or about $130 each year for customers.

Community members were showing up to City Council to speak against the rate hike, but the authority to approve rate changes lies with the Illinois Commerce Commission, which regulates public utilities under the guidance of the Illinois General Assembly. 

PLAY: An ICC staff member from the Consumer Services Division filed McDowell’s complaint. They then looped in a representative from the Peoples Gas executive office on a three-way call. Within the hour, a Peoples Gas employee was at McDowell’s house to turn the gas back on. 

“It felt like Peoples Gas had no incentive to right their wrong. I wanted them to be incentivized to do the right thing,” McDowell said. “I felt vindicated, because you don’t normally win against Peoples Gas or ComEd.”

On Aug. 14, he received a call from a Peoples Gas representative, who said McDowell would receive a $90 credit toward his account for the three days the gas was off. Due to the unexpected shutoff, McDowell estimates his family spent an additional $200-$300 on food orders and travel. He’s in the process of pursuing further compensation from Peoples Gas with the help of the ICC. 

We reached out to Peoples Gas for comment, but didn’t hear back ahead of publication. If they provide us with a comment, we’ll be sure to update the web version of the Newswire on citybureau.org. 

While McDowell learned about the ICC through Newswire, not even the dedicated folks behind this newsletter knew you could simply call the ICC to report an individual issue with a utility company. Our coverage focused on community-wide issues. But as McDowell learned, it can be an effective tool to ensure you get the help you need.

What you can do:

Having issues with a utility provider? File a complaint with the ICC: 

  • You can reach the ICC between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday by calling 1-800-524-0795, 1-217-782-2024 outside Illinois, or TTY at 1-800-858-9277. If you are contacting the ICC about an urgent matter (such as a disconnection notice) please call.

  • You can also file a complaint online or via U.S. mail to:
    Illinois Commerce Commission
    527 East Capitol Ave.
    Springfield, IL 62701

  • If you do reach out, let us know! Email us at civicinfo@citybureau.org and share your story of what happened.

Remember: You always have public comment…

Want to speak publicly about your experience with a utility provider? Here’s how you can make public comment at an ICC meeting:

It’s not always easy to figure out how to give public comment. The ICC offers a few different options:

If you like the idea of pulling up in person, here’s what you can do:

  1. Find the meeting. Head to icc.illinois.gov. The ICC posts upcoming meetings under the Calendar tab about halfway down the homepage. Look for an upcoming Illinois Commerce Commission Open Meeting, which is usually held on a monthly basis. 

  2. Go to the ICC public comment webpage. This page outlines the three options you have to give public comment, scroll down to option three: Speak at a Commission Open Public Meeting and click on “Instructions to Speak Before the Commission.”

  3. Submit a public participation request form 24 hours before the meeting. Once you’re on the request form page, scroll down to “On-line Submission” and click “start.” You’ll have the option to say if you want to give your comment in person or remotely, and give a summary of what you want to say to the commission.

  4. Make your comment: Once you submit your request to make public comment, the Chief Clerk’s Office will notify you as to whether your request has been granted or denied. All requests must be submitted at least 24 hours in advance.

The ICC’s next open meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 17.

What you can do:

Follow the Citizens Utility Board: The Citizens Utility Board (CUB) is advocating for lower utility bills, cleaner energy and consumer protections. Check out CUB’s website here and learn more about how you can take action. 

A version of this story was first published in the September 16, 2026 issue of the Newswire, an email newsletter that is your weekly guide to Chicago government, civic action and what we can do to make our city great. You can sign up for the weekly newsletter here.

Have thoughts on what you'd like to see in this feature? Email Civic Editor Dawn Rhodes at dawn@citybureau.org.