If you've ever scanned a ComEd bill looking for "the rate" — the single price per kWh — you've probably noticed there isn't one. ComEd splits your charges into supply (the cost of electricity itself) and delivery (the cost of getting it to your home), each with their own per-kWh and fixed components. Add capacity, transmission, taxes, and franchise fees, and the all-in effective rate ends up well above the supply rate that ComEd publishes.
This page breaks down what ComEd customers in Chicago, Cook County, and the Northern Illinois service area are actually paying per kWh in 2026, what changed in the most recent rate adjustment, and how it stacks up against Illinois and US averages.
ComEd's All-In Rate per kWh in 2026
For a typical residential customer using 800 kWh/month on the standard ComEd default rate, the all-in effective rate in 2026 lands around $0.155 to $0.165 per kWh. The breakdown:
- Supply (Energy): ~$0.078/kWh — ComEd's hourly-blended default supply price, set quarterly based on procurement auctions and market conditions.
- Delivery (Distribution): ~$0.052/kWh — the per-kWh portion of the delivery charge that pays for ComEd's wires, poles, and substations.
- Capacity Charge: ~$0.012/kWh — PJM capacity costs that increased significantly for the 2025/26 delivery year.
- Transmission: ~$0.008/kWh — high-voltage transmission line costs.
- Taxes & Franchise Fees: ~$0.010–$0.012/kWh — Illinois Electricity Distribution Tax, municipal taxes, and franchise fees that vary by city.
- Customer Charge: $0.85 fixed monthly charge (not per-kWh, but adds ~$0.001/kWh equivalent at 800 kWh).
The published "price to compare" that ComEd shows on the back of your bill (used to compare alternative suppliers) is just the supply piece — around $0.078/kWh. That's why a supplier offer at "$0.069/kWh, save 12%!" only saves you on supply, not on the much larger delivery charge that you pay ComEd regardless.
What Changed in 2026
Three things drove ComEd rate changes for 2026:
- PJM capacity auction prices spiked. The 2025/26 capacity auction cleared at roughly 9x the prior year's price. Capacity charges flow through to ComEd customers and pushed the average all-in rate up by an estimated $0.008–$0.012/kWh starting June 2025.
- Multi-year delivery rate plan. ICC-approved delivery rate increases under ComEd's grid plan are stepping up annually through 2027. The delivery rate component is set, not market-driven.
- Default supply auction. ComEd's quarterly supply procurement reflects natural gas prices, which softened slightly entering 2026 — partially offsetting the capacity-charge increases.
Net effect: the typical ComEd residential bill is up roughly 8–12% year-over-year in 2026, driven primarily by capacity and delivery rate steps.
How ComEd Compares to Illinois and US Averages
Illinois customers pay near the US average for residential electricity, but ComEd's rate sits slightly above the state median:
- ComEd all-in residential: ~$0.155–$0.165/kWh (2026)
- Illinois state average: ~$0.158/kWh (EIA, latest)
- Ameren Illinois (downstate): ~$0.149/kWh — typically lower than ComEd because of different supply procurement and lower delivery rates.
- US residential average: ~$0.165/kWh (EIA, 2026)
ComEd is not the cheapest utility in Illinois, but it's not dramatically above market either. The bigger driver of bill differences for ComEd customers is usually total kWh consumption (Chicago summers and winters drive 1,000+ kWh months) rather than the rate itself.
Three Ways to Lower Your Effective Rate per kWh
If your effective rate is closer to $0.18 or $0.20/kWh, here's where to look:
- Check for an alternative supplier you forgot about. Many Chicago-area customers signed up with door-to-door suppliers years ago at promotional rates that have since rolled to expensive variable rates. Compare your supply rate to ComEd's price-to-compare ($0.078/kWh in 2026) and switch back to ComEd default if you're paying more.
- Consider Hourly Pricing. ComEd's Hourly Pricing program ties supply cost to real-time wholesale prices. Customers who can shift load (laundry, dishwasher, EV charging) to overnight hours typically save 10–15% on supply.
- Reduce fixed-cost amortization. Lower kWh usage doesn't reduce the customer charge or fixed delivery components, so customers using 400 kWh/month have a higher effective rate than those using 1,200 kWh/month. Conservation helps the total bill but won't move the per-kWh number much.
Common ComEd Rate Confusions
- "My supplier said the rate is 7¢ but my bill shows 16¢." The supplier is quoting just the supply rate. Delivery, taxes, capacity, and transmission all flow through ComEd regardless of your supplier choice and roughly double the all-in rate.
- "My rate is different from my neighbor's." The supply and delivery per-kWh rates are the same for all standard residential ComEd customers. Differences are usually from a different rate plan (Hourly Pricing vs. fixed default) or a different supplier.
- "My rate keeps changing month to month." ComEd's default supply rate adjusts quarterly. The delivery rate is set annually by the Illinois Commerce Commission. Capacity charges adjust with each PJM capacity year (June 1).
See Your Actual Effective Rate
The effective rate on your bill — total dollars divided by total kWh — is what actually matters. Upload a recent ComEd bill for a free check that:
- Computes your true effective rate per kWh
- Compares it to the ComEd default and current alternative supplier offers
- Verifies you're on the right rate plan for your usage pattern
- Flags any anomalies (incorrect supplier rate, unusual fees, estimated reads)