Attorney General Kwame Raoul is reminding Illinois residents, as they deal with the current heat wave this week, that a recently-effective law protects vulnerable residents from gas or electric utility service disconnections for non-payment of bills when temperatures are 90 degrees or above, or when the National Weather Service issues an excessive heat watch, heat advisory or excessive heat warning.
Attorney General Raoul initiated the law, which went into effect January 1, 2024. Raoul is urging Illinois residents to be aware of the update to the Public Utilities Act means they cannot be disconnected from their gas or electric utility service during the excessive heat.
Raoul’s office pointed out that to accurately assess the danger of heat, both humidity and temperature must be considered. For example, a temperature of 92 F at 100% humidity can be dangerously hot, while higher temperatures may be less dangerous when the humidity is low.
