$300 Million Difference!
What the Citizens Utility Board Did For You In 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010—With the help of consumers across the state, CUB had a banner year in 2010, saving Illinois utility customers more than $300 million.

“There’s no consumer watchdog group that works as hard as CUB, early mornings, after hours, weekends, 24-7,” CUB Executive Director David Kolata said. “We do it because we know Illinois consumers are depending on us to be the first line of defense between the utilities and their bank accounts.”

CUB is proud of what we achieved in 2010, but we face big battles in 2011. Read about the consumer group's accomplishments this year, and please help us fight nearly $1 billion in utility battles on behalf of your bottom line. We can’t do it without you!


Legal Battles:

CUB started off the year strong in January by helping to slash a Peoples and North Shore Gas rate-hike proposal by $96 million, more than half the utilities' original request. In April, CUB and other consumer advocates completed a grueling 11-month battle against an Ameren rate increase, cutting the company’s original proposal by $182 million, or more than 80 percent! CUB also fought Illinois American Water’s $61 million rate-hike request, which was eventually reduced by about $20 million.

In September, CUB, the Illinois Attorney General’s office, consumer advocates, and Illinois rate-payers won a huge victory when an Illinois Appellate Court ruled that state regulators were wrong to allow ComEd to raise rates based on anticipated future costs—while ignoring potential customer savings from “accumulated depreciation” of utility assets. The decision could have a big impact on future rate-hike cases. ComEd is expected to appeal.
Online Tools:

In June, CUB launched CUB Energy Saver, an online service that has so far shown thousands of Illinois families how to cut their utility bills by an average of $200 a year. Meanwhile, CUB’s Local Phone Cost-cutter, the online service that helps AT&T customers cut their local bills, hit a new milestone, showing more than 41,000 consumers how to save a total of $8.1 million a year, or about $200 per customer. The CUB Cellphone Saver analyzed thousands of wireless bills for a total annual savings of $3.7 million, or more than $317 per bill.

All told, CUB's online tools saved consumers a combined average of more than $700 a year.
Consumer Advocacy:

CUB held 388 events—an average of more than 1 per day—across the state as part of its “Don’t Overspend in 2010” campaign. That included one legendary phone-bill clinic in Vernon Hills, where CUB’s Celia Christensen saved a woman more than $1,500 a year, mostly on international calls to Ukraine!

Meanwhile, CUB’s consumer rights counselors fielded thousands of calls from Illinois utility customers, resolving billing disputes, doling out money-saving advice, and answering consumer questions. The biggest individual savings of the year came when one CUB staffer discovered a ComEd billing error, resulting in a $75,000 refund for a delighted small business customer.
CUB's 2010 Highlights:

January: In the wake of an Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) decision that slashed a Peoples and North Shore Gas rate hike by $96 million, CUB issues consumer alert about expensive gas-bill myths, opens up online Winter Survival Center.

February: The CUB Cellphone Saver, which has been showing people how to save $300+ a year, wins an award of excellence from a conference of telecom professionals.

March: CUB launches statewide campaign to urge state regulators to wipe out Ameren’s proposed $130 million increase.

April: ICC votes to slash Ameren rate hike.

May: CUB wins Silver Trumpet Award for “distinguished achievement” in its website.

June: CUB launches CUB Energy Saver, a one-of-a-kind service that’s been showing people how to cut utility bills by an average of $200 a year.

July: CUB issues an alert about the low-cost Consumer’s Choice calling plans, which have had their prices frozen until June 2013.

August: CUB news conference tells about good calling-card deals to Mexico, partners with Evanston to cut utility bills through CUB Energy Saver.

September: Illinois Appellate Court hands consumer advocates one of their biggest victories ever, strikes down accounting method used by ComEd in 2008 rate case.

October: CUB report warns cell-phone callers that they could be overpaying by $359 a year.

November: CUB, Illinois Attorney General’s office issue alert about a Nicor pipe-repair plan, Comfort Guard, that gets little use from customers.

December: CUB holds last “utility-bill checkup” of the year in Lombard. One couple learns how to save more than $330 a year on their phone bills!