Frequently Asked Questions

Customers in the North Shore Gas territory:

• Geographic area: most of Lake County.
• 54 communities north of Chicago to the Wisconsin border (list of municipalities).
• 165,000 residential and business customers.

Customers in the Peoples Gas territory:

• Geographic area: city of Chicago.
• Roughly 891,000 residential and business customers.

The Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas Energy Efficiency Program offer incentives and rebates for energy-efficient upgrades to property managers, business, industrial and public sector customers. Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas offer incentives and rebates to single-family, multi-family and commercial kitchen customers jointly with ComEd, Nicor Gas and (for commercial kitchen only) Ameren Illinois.

Energy efficiency background:

• In 2009, the state of Illinois passed legislation mandating that utilities collect a surcharge from all customers to fund energy efficiency programs – which means that energy efficiency programs are ratepayer funded.
• In response to this mandate, all Illinois utilities developed energy efficiency offerings for their customers.
• Efficiency programs and incentives cost far less than building new generation facilities and transmission lines or purchasing extra power during peak load times.
• Not only does the customer benefit from the services and rebates offered, but the program also helps accelerate market adoption of energy-efficient technologies, so they eventually become standard practice.

Privately-owned business customers:

• Small and Midsize Businesses (<400,000 therms used annually).
• Commercial and Industrial (>400,000 therms used annually).
• Public sector buildings like schools, transit stations, hospitals, etc.

Single-family homes:

• Customers living in a single-family home, two-flat, condo or townhome.

Renter eligibility:

• Renters in a one-to-two-unit rental property.
• Landlord or property manager approval and signature are required.

Multi-family properties:

• Owners, landlords, or property managers and renters in a multi-family building of three units or more can receive in-unit free energy-saving products. They may also receive a common-area assessment and rebates through the multi-family offering.

For more information on ways customers can participate and save energy:

• Business and public sector
  • PeoplesGasDelivery.com/BusinessEE
  • NorthShoreGasDelivery.com/BusinessEE
  • Illinois Commercial Food Service Program
• Residential single-family homes and multi-family properties
  • PeoplesGasDelivery.com/ResidentialEE
  • NorthShoreGasDelivery.com/ResidentialEE
  • Income Eligible Multi-family

Start with an assessment to identify opportunities:

Single-family homeowners and renters:

• • • Receive a free energy assessment with free and discounted energy-saving products.
    • They can get started today by visiting eesavings.com/peoplesgas or eesavings.com/northshoregas.

Multi-family owners:

• • • Receive a free energy assessment.
    • They can get started by contacting us or calling 855-993-0940 to schedule an appointment for a free energy assessment.
    • Income Eligible building owners can get started online or by calling us at 855-993-0940.

Small and midsize businesses:

• • • Receive a free energy assessment.
    • Small and midsize business customers can also complete an online assessment here.
    • Public sector, commercial and industrial businesses, and multi-family buildings receive a no-cost optimization study.
    • Select a Trade Ally to install energy-saving improvements.
    • Complete and submit a project application.
    • Get a rebate and start saving energy!

For more information on ways customers can participate and save energy:

• PeoplesGasDelivery.com/Savings
• NorthShoreGasDelivery.com/Savings

For more information on different studies available:

• Study Definitions Table

Energy-savings tips can be found at:

• PeoplesGasDelivery.com/Savings/Tips
• NorthShoreGasDelivery.com/Savings/Tips

Natural gas appliance calculator:

• PeoplesGasDelivery.com/Savings/Gas-Calculator
• NorthShoreGasDelivery.com/Savings/Gas-Calculator

Energy efficiency videos:

• PeoplesGasDelivery.com/Savings/Energy-Efficiency-Videos
• NorthShoreGasDelivery.com/Savings/Energy-Efficiency-Videos

For all billing and customer service inquires:

Peoples Gas:

• English: 866-556-6001
• Spanish: 866-556-6003
• PeoplesGasDelivery.com/secure/ssl/contact-email

North Shore Gas:

• English: 866-556-6004
• Spanish: 866-556-6003
• NorthShoreGasDelivery.com/secure/ssl/contact-email

For payment arrangements and energy assistance:

Peoples Gas Payment and Energy Assistance:

• Online Application
• Peoples Gas App
• English: 866-556-6001
• Spanish: 866-556-6003

North Shore Gas Payment and Energy Assistance

• Online Application
• North Shore Gas App
• English: 866-556-6004
• Spanish: 866-556-6003

Customers whose annual household income is at or below 80% of the average median income (AMI) by county:

• Peoples Gas AMI information
• North Shore Gas AMI information

Customers can use the Find a Trade Ally tool to find Registered Trade Allies.

• ADD LINK WHEN ACTIVE

For more information on ways customers can participate and save energy:

• PeoplesGasDelivery.com/Savings
• NorthShoreGasDelivery.com/Savings

For questions, talk with one of our Energy Experts:

• TradeAllyCenter.com/Contact-Us

It’s easy! Apply online today.

For questions, talk with one of our Energy Experts at

• TradeAllyCenter.com/Contact-Us.

Registered Trade Ally means all participating Trade Allies. You become a Trade Ally by completing and submitting the online application, signing the agreement form, and being accepted into the network.

Approved Weatherization Contractor and Partner Trade Allies are specialty subsets of Registered Trade Allies.

Approved Weatherization Contractor:

• Must be BPI Certified.
• Are eligible to complete weatherization projects.

Partner Trade Ally (Steam Trap Testing):

• Must submit the Steam Trap Testing Application, complete training course, and pass inspections.
• Are eligible to complete steam trap testing projects.

Partner Trade Ally (Small & Mid-Size Business and Multi-Family):

• Must complete 3 projects in the customer segment.
• Is eligible to complete Small & Mid-Size Business and Multi-Family projects.
• Provide a Certificate of Insurance and complete the Partner Trade Ally application for approval.

Check out this handy table for more information.

You do not have to be a Trade Ally to participate and support your customer*, but you are missing out on benefits that Registered Trade Allies receive such as:

• Program communications, including alerts, newsletters, and webinars
• Rebate payments directly on behalf of your customers
• On-demand training
• Access to and ability to order marketing materials

*Small and midsize business and multi-family customers must use Partner Trade Allies to access the full project incentive amount.

Being a registered Trade Ally benefits your business. You will receive:

• Program communications, including alerts, newsletters, and webinars
• Direct rebate payments to your customers
• On-demand training
• Access to and ability to order marketing materials
• Ability to offer customers increased instant rebates*
• Leads and referrals*
• An assigned Energy Advisor*

*Small and Mid-Size Business and Multi-Family Partner Trade Allies only.

Apply online today!

To become a Trade Ally, apply online today!

• Businesses need to be licensed, insured, and eligible to do business in Illinois.
• Start participating upon approval of your participation agreement.

To become a Partner Trade Ally, participate as a Registered Trade Ally and complete the additional item(s) listed below that align with your specialty:

Approved Weatherization Contractors:

• Must be BPI Certified.
• Complete the Weatherization Contractor agreement and align with listed requirements.

Steam Trap Testing Ally:

• Must submit the Steam Trap Testing Application, complete training course, and pass inspections.  
• Are eligible to complete steam trap testing projects. 

Small and Midsize Business and Multi-Family Ally:

• Prior to applying, complete three projects within customer sector of interest.
• Complete the Partner Trade Ally Agreement.

Start participating upon approval.

For questions or to obtain an application, talk with one of our Energy Experts: TradeAllyCenter.com/Contact-Us.

Small and Mid-Size Business and Multi-Family Partner Trade Allies may receive leads and referrals.

We are looking for local contractors, distributors, engineering companies and other service providers that help customers save natural gas.

Learn more on TradeAllyCenter.com.

For questions, talk with one of our Energy Experts: TradeAllyCenter.com/Contact-Us.

The Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas Energy Efficiency Program offers incentives and rebates for energy-efficient upgrades to property managers, business, industrial and public sector customers. Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas offer incentives and rebates to single-family, multi-family, and commercial-kitchen customers jointly with ComEd, Nicor Gas and (commercial kitchen only) Ameren Illinois.

There are multiple sources for information on the Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas Energy Efficiency Program:

• TradeAllyCenter.com
• TradeAllyCenter.com/TradeAllyResources
• Peoples Gas business programs
• North Shore Gas business programs
• Illinois Commercial Food Service Program
• Peoples Gas residential programs
• North Shore Gas residential programs

We recommend all customers start with a FREE energy assessment.

Small and Midsize Businesses (<400,000 therms used annually) can sign up for an online or in-person assessment.

• Online assessment: Customers complete a five-minute survey with questions about their business or facility to identify areas for potential savings.
• In-person assessment: An Energy Advisor will walk through the customer’s facility to evaluate their equipment and energy use, plus identify savings opportunities.

Commercial, Industrial, and Public Sector customers (>400,000 therms used annually) can work with an Energy Advisor to walk through their facility, evaluate their equipment and energy use, and identify savings opportunities.

• Contact us or call 855-849-8928 to schedule an appointment with one of our Energy Advisors.

Single-family homeowners and renters receive a free energy assessment with free and discounted energy-saving products.

• Customers can get started today by visiting eesavings.com/peoplesgas or eesavings.com/northshoregas.

Multi-family properties

• Owners can contact us or call 855-993-0940 to schedule an appointment for a free energy assessment.
• Income Eligible building owners can get started today online or by calling us at 855-993-0940.

Contact the Business and Public Sector Energy Expert, Glenn Maxam at gmaxam@franklinenergy.com or call at 630-742-4669

For questions, talk with one of our Energy Experts: TradeAllyCenter.com/Contact-Us

For questions, talk with one of our Energy Experts: TradeAllyCenter.com/Contact-Us

Yes! The custom application offering is a great option for projects that don’t fit into the prescriptive offering for small, midsize and large; public sector; and multi-family buildings. Contact one of our Energy Experts to get started.

Incentives are typically paid within 30 days of receipt of a final application that has all the required supporting documents. If 30 days has passed and you haven’t received your incentive check, please call 855-849-8928.

Incentives are typically paid within 30 days of receipt of a final application that has all the required supporting documents. If 30 days has passed and you haven’t received your incentive check, please call 855-849-8928.

Yes! To sign up for direct deposit (ACH), email Glenn Maxam at gmaxam@franklinenergy.com, and have a contact at your organization that handles banking information ready. Once this contact email address has been identified and sent to Glenn, our financial team will reach out with a registration email. The email will be coming from no-reply@routable-mail.com so check your spam folder.

If the check hasn’t been cashed, we can reissue the payment. Please email the inbox you submitted the application to or call 855-849-8928.

As a benefit of being a Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas Trade Ally, you have access to resources, events and webinars, on-demand industry training and the marketing materials toolkit.

If you are accessing PGL NSG Trade Ally Center for the first time,

• Click here.
• Reset your password.

If you aren’t already a Trade Ally, apply now!

As a benefit of being a Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas Trade Ally you have access to resources, ability to attend events, and access free industry training.

Sign in to access your Trade Ally resources.

As a benefit of being a Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas Trade Ally you have access to resources, ability to attend events, and access free industry training.

The best place to start is your Trade Ally Dashboard, which provides you with:

• Alerts and current news
• Events and Webinars
• Learning Center
• Marketing Toolkit
• News
• Program Resources

Current alerts and news can be found on your Trade Ally Dashboard.

If you missed a previous newsletter or can’t find it in your inbox, don’t fret! Check out the News section of Trade Ally Center.

Current and past webinars can be found in Events and Webinars.
Sign up for current webinars using the registration links below each webinar description.

As a benefit of being a Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas Trade Ally you have access to premium on-demand training courses and materials for you and your team.

Access the Learning Center

Courses include:

• Business Skills
• Technology specific
• Earn CEUs with courses like The Role of Gas Decarbonization in Reaching Net-Zero, Intro to HVAC and Rebates for Business, Multi-Family, and Public Sector Buildings, and Effective Air Sealing Made Simple

As a benefit of being a Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas Trade Ally you have access to professionally printed materials to make your business shine.

Access the Marketing Toolkit

What’s in the Marketing Toolkit:

• Project Applications
• Fact Sheets
• Case Studies
• Informational Sheets
• Success Stories
• Identifier Card (Partner Trade Allies)

For questions, talk with one of our Energy Experts: TradeAllyCenter.com/Contact-Us.