The 5 best retail energy providers in Illinois

Only 9.5 percent of Illinois residents say they’re opting into the savings and stability that deregulated electricity rates can provide, according to a recent Choose Energy survey. That’s understandable – the process can seem daunting.

The truth is, exercising energy choice in Illinois by taking advantage of deregulated electricity isn’t difficult. And Choose Energy, an online marketplace for deregulated electricity and natural gas, endeavors to make it even easier. Analysts gathered the data, crunched the numbers and put together a list of the 5 top retail energy providers (or REPs) that we partner with in Illinois based on the following factors:

• Better Business Bureau (BBB) rankings
• BBB grade
• BBB composite score
• Renewable energy options

Our goal: To give Illinois customers guidance on finding the best REP that fits their budget and electricity needs.

Here are the five top REPs we partner with in Illinois:

Constellation Energy: 4.76/5

• BBB Grade: A+
• BBB Composite Score: 4.05/5
• Green Energy Options: Yes

Constellation Energy serves more than 2.5 million deregulated customers nation-wide. In addition to a range of fixed and variable rate plan options, Constellation also offers residents and business owners plans that supplement their energy with wind-powered renewable energy credits (RECs). Business customers can also purchase RECs, and can even partner with Constellation to build solar projects and incorporate energy efficiency upgrades into their offices.

North American Power: 4.68/5

• BBB Grade: A+
• BBB Composite Score: 3.72/5
• Green Energy Options: Yes

North American Power boasts more than 1 million customers across deregulated markets. As a retail electricity supplier in Illinois, North American Power offers consumers fixed energy plans at affordable prices, as well as customized insights into each customer’s home power usage and renewal alerts before a plan ends.

Clearview Energy: 4.67/5

• BBB Grade: A+
• BBB Composite Score: 3.68/5
• Green Energy Options: Yes

If you’re extra eco-conscious, Clearview Energy may be the supplier for you; all of Clearview’s affordable fixed rate plans use 100% green energy sourced mostly from wind and solar power, so you can feel good about where your energy comes from.

Frontier Utilities: 3.45/5

• BBB Grade: A+
• BBB Composite Score: 3.79/5
• Green Energy Options: No

Frontier Utilities is dedicated to providing quality service and affordable rates to Illinois deregulated energy customers. Both home and business owners can find a Frontier Utilities plan that fits their energy needs and budgets. Frontier also allows customers to earn unlimited bill credits through their referral program.

Public Power: 3.42/5

• BBB Grade: A+
• BBB Composite Score: 3.68/5
• Green Energy Options: No

Public Power, backed by Crius Energy, serves nearly 1.5 million energy consumers across the country. Illinois deregulated energy customers can opt into one of Public Power’s fixed-rate plans, which range from 6 to 24 months. Public Power can also help you upgrade your home’s efficiency with smart home services and ENERGY STAR® certified products.

Of course, these aren’t the only outstanding retail energy providers in Illinois. Make sure to compare offers from multiple providers and look for factors including price, term length, renewable energy mix, and more. Once you sign up with a provider through the Choose Energy marketplace, you’re done! Your new provider will work with your local utility to transfer service with no interruption.

Choose Energy Scoring System:
Several criteria were analyzed to compile the list of top Illinois partnered REPs, with each factor being weighted equally to ensure fairness. The total score out of 5 was calculated for each Illinois REP we offer plans with, creating a ranked list of the top 5 REPs in the state.