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Illinois gas utilities ring in the new year with higher rates

Illinois’ major gas utilities are kicking off 2021 by raising the price per therm for January. This across-the-board increase is on track with predictions made by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) at the beginning of this heating season. The price per therm you’re paying for natural gas in January, also…...

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Weatherization assistance, solar tax credits included in COVID stimulus package

Many consumers across the U.S. should soon see $600 payments in their bank accounts, thanks to a $900 billion stimulus package passed by Congress. Although headlines focused on financial assistance, the federal legislation also encourages energy efficiency and extends an important benefit for people who want to go solar.   The…...

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CUB urges consumers to call utilities, access protections

CUB is urging Illinois consumers to contact their utility companies to take advantage of consumer protections available to them due to the pandemic. “If you are struggling to pay your bills, immediately contact your utility to find out what protections are available, and set up a plan to prevent disconnection,”…...

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Ameren gas rates go up, MidAmerican’s drop

Ameren Illinois’ natural gas rates went up more than 3.5 cents per therm from last month, while MidAmerican Energy customers saw their rates fall about 5 cents. Gas utilities Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas prices fell about a penny, and Nicor Gas increased by a penny. The price per…...

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Join the Fight—Give to CUB for Giving Tuesday

We appreciate your activism this year for the cause of clean, affordable energy, consumer justice and lower utility bills. And today you have a great opportunity to increase your impact! It’s Giving Tuesday, the international day for supporting nonprofits, and it’s also the day you can join CUB for 2021!…...

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CUB’s Holiday Lighting Guide

The pandemic may hang over this holiday season, but there’s still plenty of reason to get in the spirit and decorate your home. Americans spend about $233 million on holiday lights each year, according to Wired magazine, so CUB has tips to help you cut down on your electricity costs. Switch to…...

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Why CUB continues the fight for landlines

Can you count on your cellphone carrier to save your life? When you dial 911 from a cellphone, most consumers may expect dispatchers to immediately know their location. However, current Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules only require your carrier to provide location data that is accurate within 50-300 meters, according…...

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2020: CUB’s Year by the Numbers

2020 certainly wasn’t the year we were expecting: COVID-19 pandemic, racial and economic injustice and utility corruption. But CUB continued to work for Illinois consumers, despite some of the obstacles this year has thrown our way. We converted all of our in-person events to online programming, and invited people to email us their…...

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“I’m tired of meetings. I want action.”: Virtual Lobby Day urges action on CEJA

More than 800 consumers from across the state gathered on Zoom today for a virtual lobby day in support of the Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA), comprehensive energy legislation currently before the Illinois General Assembly.  During lobby days past, consumer and environmental advocates met up at the state capitol in…...

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November natural gas rates trending up

November gas prices are more expensive this month than last, with the exception of Nicor Gas.  The Energy Information Administration (EIA) has anticipated an uptick. Last month, the organization predicted that natural gas bills across the Midwest could be about 8 percent higher than last winter. Over the winter season,…...

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