Illinois utility watchdogs hope to head off a $361 million rate increase for ComEd customers.

Illinois regulators won’t rule on ComEd’s proposed rate hike until September, but opponents don’t want the idea to gain traction. Illinois’ Attorney General is challenging the increase; so is the Citizens Utility Board.

CUB director David Kolata says ComEd is asking for what’s called a rider. The rider would make customers pay for some of ComEd’s new infrastructure.

KOLATA: They’re entitled to recover they’re costs, with a certain margin of profit, but only if they show these costs are just and reasonable, if they’re prudent investments, they did everything they could to keep the costs as low as they could possibly be. By automatically recovering them through a rider, you short-circuit that process.

ComEd claims the rate increase is needed to recoup costs for new lines and other equipment, especially in fast-growing collar counties.

I’m Shawn Allee, Chicago Public Radio.