Just The Facts Your Source for Accurate and Unbiased Information on Chicago Energy and Climate Change Illinois’ electric infrastructure is inadequate to move to an electric-only energy source. The state does not have adequate system capacity for the amount of increased energy needed. When temperatures get extreme in summer and winter and electricity goes out, gas is always on. Put natural gas in your power outage emergency kit. Households that use natural gas for heating, cooking, and clothes drying save an average of $1,132 per year compared to homes that use electricity for those applications. Illinois residents pay twice as much for electric heat on average compared to gas heat. The recent capacity market pricing increased by 800%, meaning consumers can anticipate a 30% increase in electric usage costs, plus added expenses for all-electric appliance housing remodeling or only electric commercial buildings. The cost estimate for retrofitting a single-family home ranges from $20,000-$75,000. Local News Chicago City Council to weigh ordinance effectively banning natural gas in new buildings. Carbon dioxide emissions from residences using natural gas for space heating, water heating, cooking, and clothes drying are about 18% lower than those attributable to an all-electric home. The WHO states that natural gas has no adverse effects on asthma in adults or children. The passage of a natural gas or propane ban will immediately affect all energy users, resulting in higher costs and service challenges across the system.
