CUB's year-end report:
$66 million in consumer savings in 2009!
$66 million in consumer savings in 2009!
by David Kolata, CUB Executive Director
December 18, 2009—CUB racked up $66 million in consumer savings in 2009, thanks to the support of CUB members, a hard-working legal team,
CUB’s 2009 staff Front: Sandra Marcelin-Reme, Annie Warnock, Moraima Fuentes, Jim Chilsen, Evan LaRuffa, Rebecca Devens, Elizabeth Davies, Shari Currie. Back: Annette Evans, Ben Reike, Pat Clark, Celia Christensen, David Kolata, Cyrius Currie, Sarah Moskowitz, Stephanie Rodriguez, David Mroczkowski, Patrick Deignan. Not pictured: LaNese Chandler, Aimee Gendusa-English, Bryan McDaniel, Julie Soderna, Chris Thomas.Since 1984, we’ve helped save Illinois consumers more than $10 billion, but with a struggling economy and so many rate hikes on the table, CUB’s team had to work harder than ever in 2009. We passed the test with flying colors.
Of course, there’s still so much more work to do. CUB is currently juggling about 20 cases before state regulators and the courts, with more than $1 billion in consumer money at stake. Help us continue to fight for you in 2010.
How CUB helped you save in 2009
Legal battles
CUB is fighting about 20 utility cases before the courts and the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) concerning more than $1 billion of your money. In the one ICC rate-hike decision this year, CUB helped cut a Nicor gas increase by $60 million.
CUB is fighting about 20 utility cases before the courts and the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) concerning more than $1 billion of your money. In the one ICC rate-hike decision this year, CUB helped cut a Nicor gas increase by $60 million.
Online tools
CUB’s Local Phone Cost-cutter and Cellphone Saver showed consumers how to save a total of $4.9 million a year, bringing total savings to more than $10 million over three years. Our newest tool, CUB Energy Saver, will surely add to that total. It allows consumers to plug in information about their home to get a customized plan to cut energy costs by potentially hundreds of dollars a year.
CUB’s Local Phone Cost-cutter and Cellphone Saver showed consumers how to save a total of $4.9 million a year, bringing total savings to more than $10 million over three years. Our newest tool, CUB Energy Saver, will surely add to that total. It allows consumers to plug in information about their home to get a customized plan to cut energy costs by potentially hundreds of dollars a year.
Energy-efficiency help
CUB’s efficiency experts distributed money-saving tips and Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulbs that could save consumers $839,000 a year. Plus, we launched new tools to help you save. In addition to CUB Energy Saver, we also launched CUB Live Wire, Illinois’ most comprehensive library of financial incentives to make your home more energy-efficient.
CUB’s efficiency experts distributed money-saving tips and Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulbs that could save consumers $839,000 a year. Plus, we launched new tools to help you save. In addition to CUB Energy Saver, we also launched CUB Live Wire, Illinois’ most comprehensive library of financial incentives to make your home more energy-efficient.
Handling complaints about utilities, 2009
Biggest savings for an electric customer: $1,800
Biggest savings for a gas customer: $2,798
Biggest savings for a phone customer: $4,084
Utility expertiseBiggest savings for an electric customer: $1,800
Biggest savings for a gas customer: $2,798
Biggest savings for a phone customer: $4,084
CUB’s utility experts fielded more than 10,000 calls, faxes, e-mails and letters from the public, showing consumers how to cut their phone bills, catching utility-bill errors, and securing customer refunds, for total savings of about $615,808.32.
Biggest individual savings
$138.58 a month in Libertyville, June 16.
Phone-bill clinics$138.58 a month in Libertyville, June 16.
CUB set a new record with 90 phone clinics, showing consumers how to cut their bills by a total of $359,918.28 a year.
Total Savings, 2009: $66 million+
Total over 25 years: $10 billion+
Total over 25 years: $10 billion+