ComEd supplies distribution service to its electric customers. Eligible accounts can evaluate retail supply offers while ComEd delivery remains. Use the actual service class and bill; a residential price-to-compare figure is not a quote for every business.
Confirm the account before selecting a product
Use a current bill for the service premises. Identify the delivery utility, commodity, customer class, account holder and applicable tariff. A city name, supplier logo or prior tenant’s information is not a substitute. Check who can authorize a supply change and whether existing contractual obligations must be resolved. Keep account numbers out of a general inquiry.
Build a comparable cost basis
Start with one billing period and keep the account and usage constant. Multiply the offered cents per kWh by monthly kWh and divide by 100, then add the supplier fees and any separately priced components. Repeat for the other offer. If a component is unknown, label it unknown instead of silently entering zero. A quote that fixes energy but leaves capacity variable does not have the same risk as one that includes both. Expected cost and cost certainty are separate comparisons.
Read the agreement behind the price
A pricing schedule and the general terms work together. Check the delivery start, term, renewal language, customer obligations and provisions for changes in law or load. Identify whether a number is fixed for the whole term, reset at a stated interval or reconciled later. Obtain explanations in writing. Ask what happens if the business closes, moves, changes operating hours or replaces major equipment; do not assume the lease and supply agreement end together.
Separate supply from utility delivery
The utility continues to maintain the distribution system and handle outages. Supplier shopping does not eliminate regulated customer charges, every demand charge or taxes. Use the price applicable to your service class and product. Residential price-to-compare information can explain concepts, but it is not a commercial quote. If two consecutive bills differ, inspect billing days and consumption before attributing the full dollar difference to a supply rate.
A worked cost comparison
Illustrative inputs, not Illinois market offers: 25,000 kWh per month, offer A at 8.5 cents/kWh with no monthly fee, and offer B at 8.1 cents/kWh with a $35 monthly fee. A models to $2,125 and B to $2,060 for those supply components. The $65 monthly difference becomes $1,560 over 24 identical months. This excludes delivery, taxes, unentered pass-throughs and load changes. B reaches the same modeled cost as A at 8,750 kWh per month. Use your own data in the offer calculator.
Reconcile the ComEd account before evaluating supply
Create an account sheet with service class, metered kWh, any billed kW, current supply arrangement and agreement dates. Use the utility bill to distinguish a delivery charge from a supplier component; a supplier logo or a price-to-compare figure alone does not define the business's entire cost. A supply change leaves the local delivery role with ComEd.
Verification before acting
After enrollment, compare the first complete supply period with the signed pricing exhibit. Reconcile partial periods and adjustments before alleging a rate error. For an interruption, use ComEd's outage process rather than the supplier's sales contact. For a price question, identify the exact affected line and agreement section.
Decide what a review can actually change
A useful review states the problem first: an unclear charge, a supply renewal, a demand peak, seasonal gas exposure or responsibility across multiple meters. Separate opportunities under the account’s actual rules. Do not treat a supply agreement as backup power or a calculator as utility approval. Ask for written explanations when a component or eligibility condition is unclear.
Sources & further checks
Primary references checked for this guide on October 15, 2026. Follow the source for current tariffs, eligibility and program terms; rates here are not live offers.