ComEd to Provide $2.5 Million in Bill Relief to Help Small Businesses Offset Rising PJM Supply Costs
ComEd's one-time grants to help this business-customer segment reduce the burden of rising energy costs
Today, ComEd, together with its community partners, announced $2.5 million in new bill assistance that will soon be available to help eligible business customers cope with higher PJM supply costs during the summer. Backed by Exelon, ComEd's parent company, this extension of last year's Customer Relief Fund will offer a one-time, matching grant of up to $500 to eligible small- and medium-sized business customers located within ComEd's northern Illinois service territory.
Grant applications will only be accepted online starting Monday, June 15, at ComEd.com/SMBRelief. Applications will not be accepted by phone. Small- and medium-sized business customers can visit the site now for more information. A link to applications won't be posted to the site until June 15.
"Increasing PJM-related energy supply costs present challenges to customers in many parts of the country, including small businesses that are a critical part of the economy in the communities ComEd serves across northern Illinois," said Gil C. Quiniones, President and CEO, ComEd. "The Customer Relief Fund is designed to deliver immediate billing relief to thousands of ComEd's small-business customers, ensuring they're able to continue providing jobs to local residents, while contributing to the cultural vibrancy of our region."
ComEd announced the fund in collaboration with Neighborhood Housing Services (NHS) of Chicago, an organization that will administer the fund. To qualify for grants, a business's energy use must be under 500 kilowatts, have an active ComEd account with a commercial meter (home-based businesses are ineligible) and a past-due balance, along with no unpaid tampering fees and no bankruptcy.
"Thriving small businesses are essential to building strong, resilient communities. This innovative partnership with ComEd will deliver meaningful, direct assistance to entrepreneurs and neighborhood-serving businesses in communities that need it most," said Anthony E. Simpkins, President and CEO of Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago. "We are honored to help ensure that local business owners have access to resources that reduce financial stress and enable them to continue serving as anchors of economic opportunity for the residents and neighborhoods that depend on them."
About the Customer Relief Fund
The Customer Relief Fund is designed to provide timely relief to ComEd small- and medium-sized business customers who, often, are major employers and contributors to their communities. These businesses are most impacted by the nationwide rise in energy costs stemming from a combination of unprecedented growth in electricity demand, record-breaking supply prices, and market factors that are sustaining elevated prices. While ComEd does not control supply prices set within regional markets nor profit from their increase, ComEd remains committed to implementing practical measures to help mitigate PJM supply costs on families and businesses. The fund builds upon last year's $10 million Customer Relief Fund, which provided bill relief for approximately 33,000 customers.
"CBA, as a business association, works continuously to help companies boost profitability through reliable advice aimed at improving their financial performance," said Melinda Kelly, President of the Chatham Business Association (CBA). "ComEd's notable $2.5 million relief fund, along with the CBA ComEd Community Energy Assistance Ambassador program, which provides access to affordable energy options and budget-friendly solutions for qualifying residents, are representative of our shared mission and values to support hyper-local projects and offer affordable energy solutions for all ComEd customers."
"We are excited to be a part of this meaningful partnership with ComEd, NHS, and the CBA," said Karen Freeman-Wilson, president and CEO of the Chicago Urban League. "The Customer Relief Fund is indicative of challenges felt throughout our city. The support of the business sector is critical to helping our entire community weather the financial storm. ComEd, NHS and the CBA are trusted partners, and we are grateful to Gil Quiniones, Anthony Simpkins and Melinda Kelly for their leadership."
"With energy prices skyrocketing across the Midwest, we're working to protect consumers and lower costs," said State Senator Elgie R. Sims, Jr. (D-Chicago). "The ComEd Customer Relief Fund works toward the same goal – ensuring our neighborhood businesses can find some relief while keeping the lights on. I encourage local businesses to see if they qualify and apply now."
The new relief fund adds to ComEd's current programs that help businesses manage energy use and cut future costs. Offerings include facility assessments and cash incentives for improvements like LED lighting, smart controls, sensors, refrigeration, HVAC compressors and insulation. In 2025, ComEd business customers received over $187 million in incentives to offset the cost of energy-efficiency improvements. For information on ComEd energy-efficiency options for small- and medium-sized businesses, visit ComEd.com/SmallBiz.
In announcing the new relief fund, ComEd also reminds residential customers that it can help connect them to a variety of bill-support programs for families and individuals, like the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the Low-Income Discount (LID) program, as well as a host of award-winning energy-efficiency programs to help customers manage their energy use to reduce their future bill costs. Information on all of these programs can be found on ComEd's Smart Assistance Manager at ComEd.com/SAM.
Together, these efforts reflect the energy company's dedication to The Exelon Promise. This customer-focused strategy from Exelon aims to provide quick relief, strong protections and lasting solutions to rising energy costs. In addition to LID and last year's Customer Relief Fund, other efforts include:
- the January launch of ComEd's Delivery Time-of-Day pricing rate, which helps households save money by shifting energy use to times when electricity prices are lower and demand is reduced;
- and ongoing support for legislation that resulted in customers receiving bill credits of over $803 million – or approximately $13 a month depending on usage – over each of the first five months of this year.
ComEd is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NASDAQ:EXC), a Fortune 200 company and one of the nation's largest utility companies, serving almost 11 million customers through six fully regulated transmission and distribution utilities — Atlantic City Electric, BGE, ComEd, Delmarva Power, PECO, and Pepco. ComEd powers the lives of more than 4 million customers across northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state's population. For more information visit ComEd.com, and connect with the company on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube.
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