How Much Does Commercial Electricity Cost in Illinois? (2025 Benchmarks)

Average commercial electric bill illinois metrics from EIA and utility rate filings cluster around 8–12¢/kWh for energy-plus-delivery in 2025 for typical load factors—but all-in costs for low load factor service businesses often exceed 12–14¢/kWh. Illinois energy cost per square foot ranges roughly $1.20–$3.50/sq ft/year for office and retail, $2.50–$6.00+ for food service, and $4.00–$12.00 for cold storage and manufacturing depending on process load.

Industry Benchmark Tables

Use benchmarks as sanity checks, not budgets. Small business electric bill illinois medians for 2,500 sq ft offices land near $400–$900/month summer peaks included. Illinois manufacturing electricity cost scales with demand: a 500 kW peak plant may see $45,000–$90,000/month all-in during summer if load factor is low and supply floats with pass-throughs.

Upload bills to our bill analyzer to compute your realized $/kWh and $/sq ft versus tables above. Portfolio owners see wide variance—franchise systems should read multi-location procurement for outlier remediation.

• Normalize for weather using degree-days when comparing year-over-year.
• Separate supply from delivery before comparing to national EIA averages.
• Track peak kW monthly—benchmarks assume documented demand.
• Update benchmarks after major efficiency or expansion projects.

Medical office benchmarks often exceed generic office ranges due to imaging and HVAC reheat loads.

EIA state averages smooth across residential and commercial classes—Illinois business buyers should compare to NAICS-specific bands and ENERGY STAR medians rather than statewide blends alone.

Food service and cold storage outliers often exceed 14¢/kWh all-in when kitchen and refrigeration peaks overlap summer afternoons—sector tables in this guide reflect that variance.

Illinois office buildings built before 1990 often show electric intensity twenty to thirty-five percent above ENERGY STAR median for their type—benchmarking separates operational waste from structural load before you rebid supply.

Upload bills to the bill analyzer to compute realized $/kWh and $/sq ft versus sector tables—portfolio owners should flag outliers above fifteen percent variance for site visits.

ICC-approved delivery riders for grid modernization continue adding incremental cost components through 2026—benchmark tables reflect typical ranges, not guarantees after quarterly tariff adjustments.

Warehouse automation and EV charging deployments shift benchmarks within twelve months of go-live—re-benchmark after major load additions before locking long supply contracts.

Competitive supply versus default service spread widens and narrows with PJM forwards—benchmark both simultaneously when evaluating renewal, not only current rate versus EIA state average.

Medical office and imaging centers often exceed generic office $/sq ft bands—use NAICS-specific comparisons rather than statewide averages alone.

Electrification projects planned for 2025–2026 change load factor and peak kW—forward load studies should precede comparison to static dollars-per-square-foot tables.

When supply is competitive but bills remain high, demand ratchets and pass-through fees—not energy $/kWh—often explain variance from peer benchmarks.

Small business GS-1 accounts need different benchmark bands than large GS-2 demand-metered facilities—rate class on bill page one determines which table applies.

ICC-approved delivery riders for grid modernization continue adding incremental cost components through 2026—benchmark tables reflect typical ranges, not guarantees after quarterly tariff adjustments.

Warehouse automation and EV charging deployments shift benchmarks within twelve months of go-live—re-benchmark after major load additions before locking long supply contracts.

ComEd commercial rate 2025 delivery schedules for general service large customers include energy delivery charges, demand charges, customer charges, and riders approved by ICC. Ameren business electricity cost structures differ in customer charge components and efficiency program funding but follow the same deregulated supply split— you shop generation, utility delivers.

Component Comparison

Commercial utility rate comparison illinois buyers should build side-by-side tables per rate class, not zip code generalizations. ComEd GS large often shows higher delivery demand $/kW-month than Ameren GS equivalents in downstate filings, partially offset by different loss factors and supply benchmarks.

Verify current figures on ICC electricity rates and utility tariff sheets before contract modeling. Nicor and Peoples gas territories overlap ComEd electric—dual-fuel sites need parallel tables.

Rate Class Selection Impact

Wrong rate class can add 5–15% to annual spend without changing operations. Hourly pricing programs suit flexible loads; fixed supply suits stable profiles. A procurement review pairs rate class optimization with supplier bids.

1. 1Pull rate schedule code from bill page one monthly.
2. 2Model alternate classes with 12 months interval data.
3. 3Check ratchet rules before assuming peak reduction savings.
4. 4Split RFPs by utility zone for multi-territory portfolios.

Warehouse benchmarks shift upward when automation and EV charging deploy without demand management.

ICC published default supply rates change periodically—benchmark competitive quotes against current PTC for your rate class on bid date, not last year's budget file.

Municipal and cooperative edge cases outside ComEd/Ameren may lack retail choice—due diligence must read meter utility codes on acquisition, not county names alone.

Wrong rate class can add five to fifteen percent to annual spend without changing operations—model alternate classes with twelve months of interval data before accepting supplier quotes alone.

Nicor and Peoples gas territories overlap ComEd electric—dual-fuel sites need parallel benchmark tables for complete energy budgeting.

Competitive supply versus default service spread widens and narrows with PJM forwards—benchmark both simultaneously when evaluating renewal, not only current rate versus EIA state average.

Medical office and imaging centers often exceed generic office $/sq ft bands—use NAICS-specific comparisons rather than statewide averages alone.

Electrification projects planned for 2025–2026 change load factor and peak kW—forward load studies should precede comparison to static dollars-per-square-foot tables.

When supply is competitive but bills remain high, demand ratchets and pass-through fees—not energy $/kWh—often explain variance from peer benchmarks.

Small business GS-1 accounts need different benchmark bands than large GS-2 demand-metered facilities—rate class on bill page one determines which table applies.

ICC-approved delivery riders for grid modernization continue adding incremental cost components through 2026—benchmark tables reflect typical ranges, not guarantees after quarterly tariff adjustments.

Warehouse automation and EV charging deployments shift benchmarks within twelve months of go-live—re-benchmark after major load additions before locking long supply contracts.

Competitive supply versus default service spread widens and narrows with PJM forwards—benchmark both simultaneously when evaluating renewal, not only current rate versus EIA state average.

Medical office and imaging centers often exceed generic office $/sq ft bands—use NAICS-specific comparisons rather than statewide averages alone.

Commercial demand charge average illinois components often represent 25–45% of summer bills for medium commercial customers despite lower kWh in spring/fall. One 15-minute interval sets monthly billing demand; ratchets extend peak obligations across months. Buyers focused only on illinois business electric rate per kwh miss the lever that matters for restaurants, manufacturers, and churches with HVAC-heavy peaks.

Demand Math Examples

Example: 350 kW peak × $15/kW delivery demand ≈ $5,250/month before supply demand charges or energy kWh. Reduce peak 50 kW via staging HVAC and save $750/month delivery alone—often exceeding supply savings from a 0.5¢/kWh discount. Use our load factor calculator to connect kW, kWh, and all-in $/kWh.

Supply contracts may include capacity charges tied to PLC/NSPL tags—distinct from utility delivery demand. Congestion pass-throughs add volatility; see PJM congestion guide for invoice line items.

• Download interval data before blaming supply rate for high bills.
• Target the top three peak intervals annually with operations.
• Evaluate battery peak shave only after interval root-cause analysis.
• Align procurement hedge volume with post-mitigation demand forecast.

Compare your $/kWh to ICC default supply quarterly—persistent premium above fifteen percent signals RFP timing.

Ratchet rules on ComEd and Ameren GS schedules can bill winter demand at 80–90% of annual peak—summer peak reduction pays year-round delivery savings not visible in supply $/kWh alone.

Supply-side capacity tags tied to PLC/NSPL differ from utility delivery demand—benchmark both when evaluating whether to rebid supply or invest in peak reduction first.

Example: 350 kW peak at fifteen dollars per kW-month delivery demand equals roughly five thousand two hundred fifty dollars monthly before supply demand charges—staging HVAC can save more than a half-cent supply discount.

Battery peak shave projects should follow interval root-cause analysis—misidentified peak drivers waste CapEx on storage that does not align with actual billing demand determinants.

Electrification projects planned for 2025–2026 change load factor and peak kW—forward load studies should precede comparison to static dollars-per-square-foot tables.

When supply is competitive but bills remain high, demand ratchets and pass-through fees—not energy $/kWh—often explain variance from peer benchmarks.

Small business GS-1 accounts need different benchmark bands than large GS-2 demand-metered facilities—rate class on bill page one determines which table applies.

ICC-approved delivery riders for grid modernization continue adding incremental cost components through 2026—benchmark tables reflect typical ranges, not guarantees after quarterly tariff adjustments.

Warehouse automation and EV charging deployments shift benchmarks within twelve months of go-live—re-benchmark after major load additions before locking long supply contracts.

Competitive supply versus default service spread widens and narrows with PJM forwards—benchmark both simultaneously when evaluating renewal, not only current rate versus EIA state average.

Medical office and imaging centers often exceed generic office $/sq ft bands—use NAICS-specific comparisons rather than statewide averages alone.

Electrification projects planned for 2025–2026 change load factor and peak kW—forward load studies should precede comparison to static dollars-per-square-foot tables.

When supply is competitive but bills remain high, demand ratchets and pass-through fees—not energy $/kWh—often explain variance from peer benchmarks.

Benchmarking turns generic commercial electricity cost illinois averages into actionable gaps. Start with ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager for whole-building scores if applicable, then layer Illinois-specific tools: our bill analyzer for $/kWh decomposition, load factor calculator for demand efficiency, and industry guides for sector norms.

Step-by-Step Benchmark Workflow

Step 1: Twelve months bills → compute all-in $/kWh and peak kW. Step 2: Divide annual spend by sq ft for $/sq ft/year. Step 3: Compare to sector table in section one—flag >15% variance. Step 4: If variance persists, audit rate class, supply contract pass-throughs, and unmetered loads. Step 5: Run supplier RFP if supply $/MWh exceeds ICC benchmark bands.

Public data sources include EIA Illinois electricity profiles and ICC published default supply rates. Chicago buildings subject to benchmarking ordinance can compare ESPM scores to peers—suburban assets benefit from voluntary benchmarking before sale.

1. 1Benchmark quarterly, not annually—peaks drift with operations.
2. 2Share results with operations, not just finance.
3. 3Document efficiency projects against baseline year.
4. 4Re-benchmark 90 days after supply contract changes.
5. 5Compare tenant spaces separately in multi-tenant assets.

When benchmarks show supply—not demand—as the outlier, multi-site operators aggregate RFPs for leverage. When demand dominates, fix load shape before locking long fixed contracts on inflated peaks.

Small business accounts on GS-1 schedules need different benchmark tables than large GS-2 demand-metered sites.

Quarterly benchmarking beats annual reviews—operations changes, automation, and EV charging shift load factor faster than supply contract terms.

When variance exceeds peer bands by fifteen percent for three consecutive months, run supply RFP and rate-class review in parallel rather than sequentially.

ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager peer groups for Illinois offices often cluster scores fifty to seventy-five for Class B stock built 1980–2000—scores below forty indicate combined supply and demand optimization opportunities.

Share benchmark results with operations, not just finance—peak interval identification requires floor-level cooperation to implement staging and scheduling fixes.

Small business GS-1 accounts need different benchmark bands than large GS-2 demand-metered facilities—rate class on bill page one determines which table applies.

ICC-approved delivery riders for grid modernization continue adding incremental cost components through 2026—benchmark tables reflect typical ranges, not guarantees after quarterly tariff adjustments.

Warehouse automation and EV charging deployments shift benchmarks within twelve months of go-live—re-benchmark after major load additions before locking long supply contracts.

Competitive supply versus default service spread widens and narrows with PJM forwards—benchmark both simultaneously when evaluating renewal, not only current rate versus EIA state average.

Medical office and imaging centers often exceed generic office $/sq ft bands—use NAICS-specific comparisons rather than statewide averages alone.

Electrification projects planned for 2025–2026 change load factor and peak kW—forward load studies should precede comparison to static dollars-per-square-foot tables.

When supply is competitive but bills remain high, demand ratchets and pass-through fees—not energy $/kWh—often explain variance from peer benchmarks.

Small business GS-1 accounts need different benchmark bands than large GS-2 demand-metered facilities—rate class on bill page one determines which table applies.

ICC-approved delivery riders for grid modernization continue adding incremental cost components through 2026—benchmark tables reflect typical ranges, not guarantees after quarterly tariff adjustments.