Fueling Illinois with Natural Gas Now
At Nicor Gas, we’re committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable natural gas that keeps Illinois running. From family homes to local restaurants, manufacturers and industrial facilities, natural gas supports daily life and our economy. To continue meeting ongoing energy demands, Nicor Gas makes essential infrastructure investments to modernize the system Northern Illinois depends on—enhancing reliability and maintaining energy affordability for our customers.
Natural Gas in Action: Supporting Illinois Communities
With 2.3 million customers and 650 communities served across Northern Illinois, Nicor Gas is honored to play a role in providing fuel for life. Learn more about how Nicor Gas serves its customers across Illinois in the dropdown below:
Over 2.3 million residential customers
Natural gas fuels everyday comfort at home—from home heating and water heating, to cooking meals and drying laundry, families experience real home energy savings through natural gas use. Households that use natural gas pay up to 78% less on annual energy bills compared to other energy sources. And with Nicor Gas’s 99.99% service reliability, Illinois households can count on natural gas every single day.
About 184k Commercial Customers
For example, in restaurants, natural gas provides the steady, precise heat that kitchens need. From baking to cooking, chefs rely on natural gas to prepare meals consistently while keeping energy costs manageable. With natural gas remaining one of the lowest-cost energy sources since 2010, restaurants can focus on serving their communities instead of worrying about rising utility bills.
About 11.7k Industrial Customers
Natural gas is Illinois’ most reliable industrial fuel, helping businesses stay efficient and productive. It keeps production lines moving and local economies strong, with underground infrastructure that allows operations to continue even during severe weather. With proactive system upgrades reducing emissions while maintaining dependable service, manufacturers and industrial facilities can plan for growth with confidence.
Investing in a Cleaner Future
Through infrastructure upgrades and advanced leak detection, we’ve reduced operational emissions by 54% over the past decade. At the same time, we’re investing in clean energy solutions, including renewable natural gas, to support our goal of reducing direct (Scope 1) greenhouse gas emissions from our utility operations to net zero by 2050.
Continued investment in cleaner technologies and renewable energy sources is supported through rate requests and enables projects like renewable natural gas that help build a cleaner Illinois. The reliability of natural gas allows us to continue innovating for a cleaner, more affordable energy future while delivering safe, reliable, and affordable energy our customers can trust.
How Nicor Gas Prepares For Winter With Natural Gas Storage Systems
Delivering Reliable Energy Through Storage
Reliability starts with planning ahead. A key part of how we deliver safe, dependable energy year-round is through our natural gas storage system. By storing natural gas underground when demand is lower, we can respond quickly during periods of peak demand, especially during cold Illinois winters when energy use is highest.
Storage helps balance fluctuations in supply and demand, supports system stability and reduces exposure to sudden market volatility. Combined with ongoing infrastructure upgrades, it ensures we can deliver consistent, around-the-clock energy and maintain long-term reliability for the customers and communities we serve. Discover more about our reliability and storage: How Nicor Gas Prepares For Winter With Natural Gas Storage Systems - YouTube
Nicor Gas is there when you need us most.
While the most recent rate increase in Illinois reflects the need for critical infrastructure upgrades, these improvements provide lasting value by enhancing energy reliability, supporting job creation and driving economic growth statewide. With the expansion of sectors like data centers and advanced manufacturing, energy demand continues to rise, and every investment in our system supports the 45,000 skilled workers who keep Illinois running and strengthen industries that rely on dependable energy.
Through smart, ongoing upgrades, we’re building a cleaner, stronger and more resilient energy future for our state. That’s a fact!
1Our ability to achieve this goal is dependent on many factors, many of which are outside of our control, including load growth, energy policy and regulations, natural gas prices, customer demand for carbon-free energy, and the development and deployment of low- to no-GHG energy technologies.
