Nicor Gas

Both electricity and natural gas are deregulated in Illinois. That means customers can choose their natural gas providers from a range of companies. 

The move to deregulation in Illinois began in 1997 when lawmakers approved an amendment to the state’s Public Utilities Act. Once it was ratified in 2002, the Illinois Commerce Commission could allow alternative certified energy providers to compete for customers as long as it resulted in lower rates. Before this amendment, Illinois consumers had no choice but to receive their natural gas from their local utility. 

In 2009, the state approved an amended version of this law that placed stricter requirements on gas companies. Providers now had to disclose all prices, conditions, and terms of their contracts to customers. This amendment also limited early termination fees — the fees providers charge customers who opt out of their contracts before they expire — to $50.

To learn more about energy deregulation, visit the resources below. They can help you navigate Illinois’ deregulated market. 

• How switching works
• Energy Buying Guide
• How to reduce your electricity bill
• No-deposit electricity

In a deregulated state like Illinois, you can choose the company that provides natural gas to your home or business, but you can’t choose your utility.

If Nicor Gas is your utility, it delivers natural gas to you. Nicor Gas is also responsible for maintaining the natural gas infrastructure and pipelines. If there is a natural gas outage — these are rarer than electrical outages but can happen — Nicor is responsible for restoring service to its customers. You can find a list of natural gas providers in your area by entering your ZIP code at the top of this screen.

There are several natural gas providers in Nicor Gas’ service area. This includes Constellation Energy, Champion Energy, Direct Energy, Green Mountain Energy and Energy Harbor.

The deregulated natural gas market encourages providers to compete against each other for your business. But choosing the right provider can be challenging. Fortunately, you can use Choose Energy’s online marketplace to make your choice easier. Choose Energy features reviews of natural gas providers, rate information, and details about the natural gas plans available to you. 

The plans and rates available depend largely on where you live in the Nicor Gas service area. 

If you want more information about how to best shop for a plan, check out our energy buying guide.

If you want to report a gas leak, odor, or other emergency, contact Nicor at 888-642-6748.

• To make a payment by phone, call Nicor at 888-642-6748. You can also sign up for automatic payments through your account here. 
• For all other inquiries, call customer service at 888-642-6748 or send Nicor an e-mail message at customercare@nicorgas.com.