Madigan to ICC: Nicor hike too high, unnecessary

Attorney General Lisa Madigan Thursday filed written testimony urging the Illinois Commerce Commission to deny rate increase requests from Naperville-based Nicor Gas that would raise the company's revenues by $140 million.

The company's request would also authorize the addition of five separate surcharges to customers' bills, one of which would collect a minimum delivery charge from every customer regardless of how little natural gas the customer actually uses.

Nicor's plan to restructure rates would increase the monthly customer charge by 39 percent from $8.40 to $13.55. Overall, the utility's rate increase requests would hike gas bills for the average customer by 31 percent.

The testimony follows an expert report filed with the ICC on Aug. 27 by a financial expert retained by Madigan's office.