By Bryan McDaniel CUB Director of Governmental Affairs Now that the dust has settled on the spring session of the 104th General Assembly, I wanted to give you an overview of the legislation we fought for: Progress was made on CUB’s consumer agenda, but the fight continues. The Capitol is…...
CUB statement on Aqua Illinois’ proposed $26.5 million rate hike
Citizens Utility Board (CUB) Executive Director Sarah Moskowitz released a statement Monday about Aqua Illinois’ $26.5 million rate-hike request before the Illinois Commerce Commission: At a time when Illinois consumers are already burdened with rising costs for all utilities, Aqua Illinois’ proposed rate hike would increase bills by an average…...
CUB uncovers hundreds of millions of dollars in questionable Ameren spending
CUB’s expert testimony has uncovered hundreds of millions of dollars in questionable spending in Ameren Illinois’ proposed four-year plan for improving its power grid. The watchdog warned that the costs of the plan should be reduced substantially to prevent electric bills from being unaffordable. (Sign CUB’s petition urging the ICC…...
CUB testimony uncovers $1 billion+ in questionable ComEd spending
CUB’s expert testimony has uncovered more than $1 billion in questionable spending in Commonwealth Edison’s proposed four-year plan for improving its power grid. (Sign CUB’s petition urging the ICC to hold ComEd accountable.) The consumer group said it was disappointed to see ComEd propose another bloated, expensive grid plan–even after…...
CUB’s 2026 rate-hike battles surpass $955 million
In a year when we’re already paying elevated electricity prices, Illinois’ biggest utilities are piling on by pushing for more than $955 million in new rate hikes. The parent companies of these utilities raked in about $15 billion in total profits in 2025, and now they’re pushing for an increase…...
ComEd ($234 million), Ameren ($65 million) push for extra ‘reconciliation’ delivery rate hikes
As millions of Illinois consumers face spiking electricity supply prices this year, Commonwealth Edison and Ameren Illinois are pushing to increase another part of our power bills, delivery charges, by a total of $299 million. The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) has already approved four-year rate plans (through 2027) for both…...
‘Very, very grateful”: CUB helps 92-year-old electric and gas customer secure $1,500 refund
Guadalupe, a 92-year-old Waukegan resident, had no idea that attending a CUB event would result in her receiving a $1,500 refund. But that’s exactly what happened when experts from the consumer watchdog discovered Guadalupe was being overcharged by an alternative supplier she had no idea she was paying. In late…...
CUB Q&A: Why is Ameren’s electricity price spiking?
A spike in an electricity “capacity auction” means that Ameren Illinois’ summer supply price for power increased significantly on June 1. Ameren’s 11.326 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) summer supply rate is about 39 percent higher than the price in the summer of 2024. Thankfully, Ameren’s price is expected to go…...
CUB Q&A: Why is ComEd’s electricity price spiking?
Record-high prices in an electricity “capacity auction”–sparked by soaring data center energy demand–have caused Commonwealth Edison’s electricity price to remain elevated for a second straight summer. ComEd estimates this could cost customers about 12 percent more, on average, from June 2026 through May 2027, but hotter weather and other factors…...
