Regulators deny Peoples Gas attempt to delay transparent planning

Today, regulators at the Illinois Commerce Commission denied a motion filed by Peopels Gas asking for a stay of its requirement to file a long term gas infrastructure plan (LTGIP) this summer. The first of these plans, which are required every two years, is due July 1st.

Long term, transparent infrastructure planning was something Illinois PIRG, along with a coalition of organizations, won accross three gas utility rate cases in 2023.  As the Commission wrote at the time, the “lack of transparent planning processes makes it challenging for the Commission, customers, and other stakeholders to determine whether the Companies are prioritizing just, reasonable, and prudent investments…”

That’s important because when utilities overspend on infrastrcuture, or prioritize the wrong investments, customers suffer through higher rates and less valuable utility service.

Getting a plan from Peoples Gas this summer would be useful as we expect Peoples Gas to file a rate case later this year or early next.

In January, an appeals court lifted the LTGIP requirement for downstate utility Ameren Gas, as part of Ameren’s appeal of its 2023 rate order. While Peoples Gas is in a separate judicial district and has its own appeal pending, its motion leaned heavily on the Ameren decision. It argued its chance of winning its own appeal is “somewhere between high and certain.”

Peoples Gas further argued that it faces irreparable harm “by continuing to expend time and resources at their customers’ expense and detriment to comply with the LTGIP Mandate.”

I find this argument telling and egregious: this is the type of planning Peoples Gas should be doing regardless of a Commission mandate – taking the additional steps to do so in a transparent manner is not to its customers ‘detriment.’

ICC staff and Illinois PIRG filed responses to the motion – both arguing that the Commission should deny it. We are pleased that the Commission did so today.