Chicago mayoral candidate Willie Wilson calls for electric, gas utilities to cease shutoffs

Businessman and Chicago mayoral candidate Willie Wilson is demanding that electric and gas utilities stop shutoffs.

On Monday, Wilson unveiled a "Hardship Plan" to help people avoid getting their power or heat cut off.

"For every piece of new business here that comes into the city of Chicago, we should take two percent, three percent, five percent of new business revenue and use that and call it a 'Hardship Program' to help people to pay their gas, the light bill, save their homes," Wilson said.

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Chicago-area electricity and gas suppliers are leading the nation for shutting off utilities for people who fail to pay their bills.

A new report cited both ComEd and Nicor gas.

Last year, ComEd canceled service for more than 200,000 customers and Nicor stopped service for 24,000 customers. These are both increases compared to the previous year.