As the public backlash against data centers escalates across Illinois, newly disclosed records reveal that fees the controversial facilities paid to Commonwealth Edison over the last five years fell billions of dollars short of the total price tag expected to connect them to the electric grid. Public-interest groups warned Thursday…...
Data centers and your electric bills
Power bills are going up across the country, and the surge in data center development is a big reason. These facilities, which house computer systems used for storing, processing, and distributing digital information, use a tremendous amount of electricity–the largest data centers can consume as much energy as a mid-sized…...
Advocates urge state regulators to lower Proposed Order’s recommended $66 million rate hike for Peoples Gas
A recommendation pending before the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) would give Peoples Gas the license to impose a $66.2 million rate hike this winter on the utility’s beleaguered customers, but the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) and other advocates Wednesday urged state regulators to carve deeper into the increase. The ICC…...
CUB tips: How to complain to your utility
We hear a lot of stories from exasperated consumers who have contacted their utilities with a complaint or question, only to spend hours on the phone trying to communicate with customer service representatives. CUB recommends these steps to making your call as effective as possible. 1. Be prepared. Before you…...
State, Local Electeds Release Letter Opposing Peoples Gas Rate Hike, As Chicagoans Struggle With Rising Utility Bills
Thirty-eight alderpersons and state legislators representing Chicago sent a letter to state regulators Tuesday opposing the Peoples Gas rate hike. (Read a PDF of this news release.) The letter calls on the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) to “oppose Peoples Gas’ proposed rate hike, reject its request for an excessive profit…...
The Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act: Details on consumer benefits
The Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability (“CRGA”) Act was signed into law as Public Act 104-0458 on Jan. 8, 2026, and took effect on June 1. CRGA is a comprehensive law aimed at enhancing energy reliability, affordability, and sustainability by facilitating the development of new battery storage projects, expanding energy…...
CUB review of state data: ComEd, Ameren residential customers have lost more than $2.3 billion to alternative power suppliers since 2015
Commonwealth Edison and Ameren Illinois residential customers have lost a combined total of more than $206 million over the last year and more than $2.3 billion since 2015 to alternative electricity suppliers, according to the ICC’s Office of Retail Market Development’s annual report. (Read the pdf of CUB’s news release…...
CUB’s fight to protect consumers from corporate fraud and preserve federal regulatory independence
CUB advocates for consumers in many different ways and venues, from holding utility bill clinics throughout Illinois, to making legal arguments in the highest court of the land. Earlier this June, the Supreme Court ruled on Federal Communications Commission (FCC) v. AT&T, a landmark decision that affirmed federal agencies’ authority…...
