In a statement sent out to reporters this afternoon, Attorney General Lisa Madigan strongly criticized a proposal from electric utility provider ComEd to put $500 million towards the state's budget gap in exchange for locking in above-market rates for four years.  You can read her full statement below:

“It is my job to protect utility customers from excessive rates.  I will not support any proposal that forces ratepayers to pay more than they should for electricity.  That’s why I fought to eliminate the reverse auction that resulted in consumers overpaying for electricity in 2007.  This is just another effort to lock in unjustified profits.  I strongly oppose allowing ComEd to use the State’s financial crisis to try to increase their profits by asking ratepayers to pick up the tab.”