Headquarters and contact
- Street address
- 116 E Mulberry St
Chatham, IL 62629 - Office hours
- Monday to Friday, 7:30 AM to 4:15 PM. Closed weekends and federal holidays.
- Governance
- Operated by the Village of Chatham. Rates and policies are set by the elected village board, not by the Illinois Commerce Commission.
Call Chatham Utility
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Customer service1-217-483-2451Billing, new accounts, account changes
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Outages1-217-483-2451Same line routes to on-call dispatch outside business hours.
Bring photo ID and a recent utility bill or lease to open a new account. Chatham Utility is electricity only: no gas service.
Activate or transfer your account
What to have ready
- Full legal name and date of birth;
- New service address (street, apt no., city, ZIP);
- Previous address and account holder details;
- Date you need service to start;
- Phone number and email for outage alerts.
How to open the account
- Call 1-217-483-2451 at least 5 business days before your move;
- Confirm your address falls inside the Village of Chatham service area;
- Pay any required deposit and connection fee;
- Schedule the meter activation date;
- Sign the service agreement (delivered by mail or in person).
Pay your bill
Recurring bank-account transfer (ACH). The simplest option, set up by phone or in person.
Mail a check or money order to 116 E Mulberry St, Chatham, IL 62629.
Credit or debit card by phone via customer service, or through the village's online portal.
Cash, check or card at the Mulberry St office during business hours. Drop-box for after-hours payments.
Why Chatham residents do not pick a supplier
The law
The 1997 Electric Service Customer Choice and Rate Relief Law opened residential retail competition for ComEd, Ameren Illinois and MidAmerican customers in 2002. Municipal electric departments and rural cooperatives were explicitly excluded.
Your supply rate is set by the elected Chatham village board, not by an ICC procurement or by an ARES auction.
What that means in practice
- One bill, one provider: the village owns the wires AND the supply;
- Rate changes go through a public village-board vote, not the ICC;
- No Price-to-Compare, no Uniform Disclosure Statement;
- Revenue stays in the village budget, not with shareholders;
- If you move to ComEd or Ameren territory, you regain ARES choice.