In short: Illinois homes paid about 19.2¢ per kWh in July 2026, above the U.S. average of 18.3¢ and 2¢ more than a year earlier (EIA). Power cuts are fairly short by national standards, about 2.6 hours per customer in 2024, but cold waves and strong winds are the state’s biggest weather risks, so plan backup power for winter.
Below are Illinois’ own numbers, then what they mean for a generator, a home battery, solar panels and an EV charger. Every figure is dated and sourced.
Illinois at a glance
- Electricity price: 19.22¢ per kWh for homes in July 2026, against a U.S. average of 18.31¢ (EIA, July 2026, preliminary). A year earlier Illinois was at 17.22¢, so the price rose about 12%.
- Outages: 157 minutes per customer in 2024 including major storms, 59 minutes without them; about 0.85 interruptions per customer per year, 0.64 without major events (EIA-861, 2024). The U.S. average was about 11 hours (EIA).
- Sun: about 3.8 kWh per square meter per day in Chicago and 4.1 near the center of the state (NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020 average). Our rough estimate: about 1,120 kWh a year per kW of solar panels in the Chicago area (estimate, not a site survey).
- Net metering: still available, but changed. Since January 1, 2025, new ComEd, Ameren Illinois and MidAmerican solar customers are credited for exported power at the supply (energy) part of the bill only, and receive a utility rebate of at least $300 per kW. Systems installed before 2025 keep full retail credit (Citizens Utility Board).
- Plug-in (balcony) solar: no state law as of October 2026; utility interconnection rules apply.
- Electric vehicles: about 164,900 battery-electric and 51,600 plug-in hybrid cars registered through 2025, and 6,172 public charging ports at 1,870 locations, 2,906 of them DC fast (AFDC, read October 3, 2026).
- Main utilities: ComEd serves about 71% of Illinois electricity customers and Ameren Illinois about 21%; MidAmerican Energy and the City of Springfield serve smaller areas (EIA-861, 2024).
- Top weather hazards: cold waves and strong wind (both rated “very high” for expected annual loss), then winter weather, heat waves and tornadoes (“relatively high”), and ice storms (“relatively moderate”). Hurricane and wildfire risk is very low (FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025).
Backup power in Illinois
The outage numbers tell a two-part story. On a normal year, Illinois customers lose power for about an hour. Major events, the big wind and winter storms, more than double that average to about 2.6 hours. Homes at the end of a damaged line can wait far longer than the average.
What makes an Illinois outage risky is the season. FEMA rates cold waves as the state’s highest weather risk. A gas furnace still needs electricity for its blower and controls, so a winter outage can mean no heat. In spring and summer, strong winds, thunderstorms and tornadoes bring outages when a sump pump may be needed most, and heat waves raise the stakes for anyone who relies on medical equipment.
Three ways to cover it, from smallest to largest:
- Portable power station: a rechargeable battery with outlets. Good for the typical short Illinois outage: phones, Wi-Fi, lights, a CPAP machine or a fridge for some hours. No fumes, so it can sit indoors. See portable power stations.
- Home battery: wall-mounted and wired in by a licensed electrician, it switches on by itself and can keep a furnace blower, sump pump, fridge and lights going. With solar, it can recharge during a long outage. See home batteries.
- Generator: the most hours of power for the money in a multi-day storm outage. A portable unit runs essentials through a transfer switch; a standby unit on natural gas runs most or all of the house. See home generators.
Winter generator safety: never run a generator in the garage to keep it out of the cold. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says to run generators outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house, with the exhaust pointed away from windows, doors and vents, and never in a garage, basement or shed, even with the door open. Put battery-powered or battery-backup carbon monoxide alarms on every level. Connecting a generator to house wiring takes a transfer switch or interlock installed by a licensed electrician, with a permit where required; never plug it into a wall outlet.
To size your backup, try our battery backup calculator or the generator sizing tool.
Solar in Illinois
Illinois is no sunbelt state, yet EIA counted 103,145 net-metered home solar systems, about 798 MW, in 2024. Three things decide whether panels pay off.
1. Sun. Chicago gets about 3.8 kWh of sunlight per square meter per day on a flat surface, central Illinois about 4.1 (NASA POWER). Our rough estimate is about 1,120 kWh a year from each kW of panels in the Chicago area; a south-facing, tilted roof without shade usually does better.
2. Price. At 19.22¢ per kWh (EIA, July 2026), each kWh your panels make and your home uses on the spot saves the full price. As a ceiling, 1,120 kWh used at home would be worth about $215 a year per kW of panels (our estimate, before any fixed charges and before export rules).
3. Net metering since 2025. For new ComEd, Ameren Illinois and MidAmerican customers, power you send to the grid is credited at the supply part of the bill only, not the delivery part. Credits roll over from month to month, and the utility pays a distributed generation rebate of at least $300 per kW, tied to a smart inverter (Citizens Utility Board, July 2025 fact sheet). So exports are worth less than before, and sizing the system to your own use matters more. Customers of a municipal utility or electric co-op should ask that utility for its own net metering policy. More in how net metering works.
Confirmed Illinois solar programs
- Illinois Shines (Adjustable Block Program): run by the Illinois Power Agency. It buys renewable energy credits from new solar systems; the payment goes to the Approved Vendor, who may pass it on to you as a lower price. The 2026-27 program year opened in June 2026 with 1,000 MW of capacity. Ask how the incentive shows up on your contract.
- Illinois Solar for All: a solar program for income-eligible households, also from the Illinois Power Agency, with 2026-27 residential submission windows in July and September 2026.
- Utility distributed generation rebate: at least $300 per kW from ComEd or Ameren Illinois for new systems on the post-2025 net metering tariff.
- Property tax: Illinois law (35 ILCS 200/10-10 to 10-20) lets a solar system be assessed as if it were a conventional system, so the panels should not raise your assessed value. You claim it with your county assessor.
Check each program page before you sign: amounts and windows change. The federal 30% home solar credit (25D) ended for systems completed after December 31, 2025, so in 2026 only state, utility and local help remains. See energy incentives.
Plug-in solar: Illinois has no plug-in solar law, so plug-in kits fall under normal utility interconnection rules (see the FAQ below).
Next steps: start at our solar guide, compare prices in solar panel cost, and check your address with the solar potential tool.
Home batteries in Illinois
Since exported solar power now earns only the supply credit, a battery that stores daytime solar for the evening keeps more of each kWh at the full 19¢ price. That, plus winter backup for a furnace blower and sump pump, is the main case for a home battery in Illinois. A battery can also work without solar, purely as backup.
State help is limited. The Citizens Utility Board’s March 2026 fact sheet lists a utility rebate of $300 per kWh for home batteries; at ComEd it requires the Hourly Pricing rate. Confirm the current amount and rules with ComEd or Ameren Illinois before you count on it. We have not confirmed a separate statewide battery program. Read home batteries and home battery cost for sizes, prices and what a fair quote looks like.
EV charging in Illinois
Illinois had about 164,900 battery-electric and 51,600 plug-in hybrid vehicles registered through 2025 (AFDC). Public charging counted 6,172 ports at 1,870 locations in October 2026: 3,263 Level 2 and 2,906 DC fast ports.
Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in Illinois: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.
Charging at home is usually the cheapest option. A typical EV uses about 30 kWh per 100 miles (the fueleconomy.gov-style figure we use). At Illinois’ July 2026 price of 19.22¢, that is about $5.80 per 100 miles, or about $690 a year for 12,000 miles (our estimate; your own rate and car will differ).
A Level 2 charger needs a 240 V circuit installed by a licensed electrician, usually with a permit. Federal help is gone: the 30D EV credit ended September 30, 2025, and the 30C charger credit ended for chargers placed in service after June 30, 2026. Ask your utility whether it has a charger rebate; we have not confirmed one for this page. Start with home EV charging and the EV charging cost calculator.
Off-grid, small wind and micro-hydro
In Illinois, off-grid power is mostly for cabins, barns and farm sites far from a line, usually solar with a battery and a backup generator; see off-grid power.
Wind is more promising than in many states. NASA POWER averages about 6.7 m/s at 50 meters near the center of Illinois and 4.6 m/s at 10 meters. The U.S. Department of Energy’s small wind guidebook calls grid-tied small wind practical at about 4.5 m/s (10 mph) average at hub height. So open rural sites may suit a small turbine (our estimate); trees, buildings and terrain change everything, and a measured site check comes first. Read wind energy.
Micro-hydro needs a stream with steady flow, a drop and permits; we have no Illinois site data, so it is case by case. See hydroelectric power.
Licensing and permits in Illinois
- Electricians: Illinois has no statewide electrician license. Licensing is done by cities and counties, so ask your city or county building department how to check a contractor’s local license.
- Solar and battery installers: companies that install distributed generation (solar and similar systems) must be certified by the Illinois Commerce Commission as Distributed Generation Installers (83 Ill. Adm. Code 468); self-installers are the exception. Search the ICC’s website for “Distributed Generation Installer” to check a company. For Illinois Shines projects, the program publishes its Approved Vendor directory at illinoisshines.com.
- Permits: building and electrical permits come from your city or county. Generators also need gas work by a licensed plumber or gas fitter where your town requires one.
- Utility approval: solar and batteries that connect to the grid need interconnection approval and a net metering application with ComEd, Ameren Illinois or your local utility. Installers usually file it for you; ask to be sure.
Local guides in Illinois
Utilities, rates, outage records, permit offices and local programs for each area:
Where we cover in Illinois
- Chicago area: Chicago, Naperville, Aurora, Joliet, Elgin, Schaumburg, Arlington Heights
- Rockford: Rockford
- Peoria: Peoria
- Central Illinois: Bloomington, Champaign, Springfield
- Metro East: Edwardsville, O’Fallon
Local pages for these areas will follow as we verify local information and installers.
Get quotes in Illinois
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Illinois energy FAQ
Does Illinois still have net metering?
Yes, with a change. ComEd, Ameren Illinois and MidAmerican customers who install solar from January 1, 2025 get credits for exported power at the supply part of their bill only, plus a utility rebate of at least $300 per kW. Systems installed before 2025 keep full retail credit. Municipal utilities and co-ops set their own policies, so ask yours.
Is solar worth it in Illinois in 2026?
It can be, mainly for homes that use most of their solar power on site. Electricity cost 19.22¢ per kWh in July 2026, above the U.S. average, and Illinois Shines still pays for renewable energy credits through Approved Vendors. But the federal credit is gone and exports earn less than before, so get a production estimate for your roof and compare several quotes.
How do I check a solar installer in Illinois?
Ask for the company’s Illinois Commerce Commission Distributed Generation Installer certification and check it on the ICC website. If the price includes Illinois Shines, check that the company appears in the program’s Approved Vendor directory. For the electrical work, check the electrician’s license with your city or county, since Illinois has no statewide electrician license.
How much does it cost to charge an EV at home in Illinois?
At the July 2026 average of 19.22¢ per kWh and about 30 kWh per 100 miles, roughly $5.80 per 100 miles, or about $690 a year for 12,000 miles. That is our estimate; your car’s efficiency and your utility plan change the result. An hourly or time-of-use plan with overnight charging can bring it down.
Is plug-in balcony solar legal in Illinois?
Illinois has no plug-in solar law as of October 2026, so there is no special permission for kits that plug into an outlet. They fall under your utility’s normal interconnection rules. Talk to ComEd, Ameren Illinois or your local utility first, and have a licensed electrician check the circuit before connecting anything that feeds power into your home.
Sources
Electricity prices: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), Electric Power Monthly, July 2026 data (September 2026 release, preliminary). Outages, utilities and solar counts: EIA-861, 2024. U.S. outage average: EIA Today in Energy. Weather hazards: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025. Sun and wind: NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020 averages; small wind thresholds from the U.S. Department of Energy. EVs and charging: Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC), 2025 registrations and station counts read October 3, 2026. Net metering and utility rebate: Citizens Utility Board, July 2025. Programs: Illinois Power Agency (Illinois Shines, Illinois Solar for All), Illinois Commerce Commission (installer certification) and the Illinois Property Tax Code, checked October 3, 2026. Safety: CPSC.