Peoples Gas bill surcharge under scrutiny from watchdog groups, Gov. Pritzker's office Ann Pistone Replay Video UP NEXT A surcharge on Illinois gas bills is now under scrutiny by both a consumer watchdog group and the governor's office. If you look closely at your Peoples Gas bill, you'll see a surcharge that the company says fluctuates based on your bill. The money is being used to overhaul rusty and leaky gas pipes, but critics question the spending. "The budget estimates about $7 billion; that's over a 30 year period. So that's an awful lot of time. We know it's a large number, but we recognize a new system, over 200,000 new safety devices installed, it's a lot of work, so we're pleased with where we are," said Andy Hesselbach, senior vice president of operations for Peoples Gas and Northshore Gas.