For 175 years, Peoples Gas has delivered safe, reliable natural gas to residents and businesses in Chicago. Along the way, the company has played a key role in the development of Chicago as one of the best places to live and work in the nation.
Peoples Gas was founded in 1850, providing gas lamps on the newly built streets of the growing city. After much of Chicago burned in the Great Fire of 1871, Peoples Gas was there to help the city rebuild.
Throughout its history, Peoples Gas evolved to serve the changing needs of its customers. When gas lighting phased out in the early 20th century, the company expanded its delivery system to accommodate new technologies that became standard in American homes: furnaces for space heating, gas stove for cooking, hot water heaters and clothes dryers.
Since then, Peoples Gas has continued to invest in its infrastructure and in the communities it serves. Over the next decade, Peoples Gas will complete an upgrade of its remaining 1,000 miles of cast and ductile iron pipes to enhance its safety, reliability and environmental sustainability.
Peoples Gas: Proud of our history. Focused on the future.
Key Highlights
- 1850
-
Peoples Gas becomes the
first utility in the city of Chicago when it lights the city's streets
with natural gas lamps.
- 1871
- Peoples Gas helps the city
rebuild after the Great Chicago Fire.
- 1893
- Electricity is introduced at the Columbia Exposition.
Peoples Gas shifts its business
from gas lighting to cooking with natural gas.
- 1895-1910
- Twelve gas companies merge under the direction of president C.K.G.
Billings, Jr. to become the Peoples Gas
Light and Coke Co.
- 1932
- Peoples Gas constructs
the first long-distance, high-pressure, steel natural gas pipeline
from north Texas to Chicago, allowing for the first-time industrial
use of natural gas.
- 1962
- For the first time, Peoples Gas
is able to meet all demands by Chicago residents for natural gas to
heat their homes, helping to clean up Chicago by diminishing its reliance
on coal and oil to heat homes.
- 1963
- The Peoples Gas Light and Coke Company acquired North Shore Gas Company.
- 1980
- Peoples Gas Company changed its name to Peoples Energy Corporation ("PEC").
- 2007
- Integrys Energy Group, Inc. acquired PEC. PEC remained the holding company for The Peoples Gas Light and Coke Company and North Shore Gas.
- 2019
- A pipe from 1859, is taken out of service as part of the company’s efforts to remove all cast and ductile iron from its system.
A company crew retires Lincoln-era natural gas pipe in Chicago video 
(3:12 min.)
- 2025
- As part of an effort to lower carbon emissions, Peoples Gas tests equipment to detect leaks in hydrogen blended with natural gas in its training center.
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