Higher electric bills, scorching summer strain Morgan County budgets

Higher summer electric bills are arriving just as Morgan County heads into its hottest stretch, and the timing could squeeze families already juggling food, fuel and rent. Ameren Illinois said its summer supply price rose from 8.769 cents to about 11 cents per kilowatt-hour starting June 1, a jump that will last through the end of September.

The increase is not small. CUB put the new summer price at 11.326 cents per kilowatt-hour. For a household using 1,000 kilowatt-hours in a month, that works out to about $22.31 more on the supply portion alone, before delivery charges and taxes are added. In a season when air conditioners run longer and harder, that kind of increase can turn a routine utility bill into a budget problem.

CUB said the spike is tied to higher reserve-power, or capacity, prices in recent Midcontinent Independent System Operator auctions. The consumer group also said rising electricity demand from new and proposed data centers is a major driver of higher power prices. The pressure is not limited to one summer, either. CUB’s 2026 power-bill guide said the Illinois Commerce Commission approved a $48 million delivery-rate increase for Ameren in December 2025, and it noted that power prices for both ComEd and Ameren began spiking significantly in summer 2025. A consumer alert last May said Ameren’s summer electricity price rose by an estimated 50 percent on June 1, 2025, and typical residential bills climbed by about $38 to $46 a month that summer.

That history matters in Jacksonville and across Morgan County because electricity is one of the few costs that reaches almost every household, whether the family rents, owns a home or lives on a fixed income. It also lands on local businesses. Restaurants, shops, farms and service companies can either absorb the higher cost or pass it along, which can show up later in menu prices, retail prices and seasonal operating decisions.

Residents looking to trim bills have a few immediate levers. CUB has urged customers to set thermostats a little higher, seal leaks around windows and doors, and pay closer attention to daily electricity use. Running fans strategically, keeping blinds closed during the hottest part of the day and limiting use of large appliances in peak heat can also shave off some usage. Families falling behind should contact Ameren early about payment arrangements or assistance options rather than waiting for the next bill to arrive.

The Illinois Commerce Commission has a summer preparedness policy session scheduled for June 11, a sign that affordability remains a live issue at the state level. For Morgan County households, though, the immediate test is simpler: a hotter summer now costs more to survive.