At CUB, we think it’s good to have choices in the electricity market, but it has to be informed choice. Educate yourself to navigate your choices in Illinois’ power market, and cut your electric bill. What are my options? If you are a ComEd or Ameren Illinois customer, here are…...
Take CUB’s Thermostat Quiz–you could win $100!
Do you bicker with your family over the thermostat setting? You’re not alone! Test your knowledge by taking our thermostat quiz. We’ll randomly select one quiz-taker to win $100 off their summer energy bills. The deadline to enter is midnight, July 31. Take the quiz now! Energy efficiency isn’t about…...
Energy assistance updates, tips to keep your utility service on during the pandemic
The pandemic has been so hard on Illinois utility customers that it’s gained national attention. An economist discovered that close to 1 percent of all residences in Illinois were cut off for nonpayment in October 2020, according to an in-depth report by the Washington Post. Steve Cicala, an economist at…...
Washington Post: Nearly 1% of all Illinois residences were cut off for nonpayment in October 2020
In a special report from Peoria, Washington Post reporter Greg Jaffe uncovered grim statistics about shut-offs in that Central Illinois city. It indicates, as one researcher said, that our social safety net is in “grave need of repair.” Jaffe reports: As the pandemic dragged on month after month, hundreds struggled…...
Ballooning bills, silent customer service: CUB joins ICC probe into three alternative suppliers
The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) is investigating three alternative suppliers–Realgy, Liberty Power and Switch Energy–after receiving hundreds of complaints from consumers about marketing techniques, unresponsive call centers and an unusual Realgy fee that has caused bills to skyrocket overnight. CUB’s legal team is intervening in the cases. These companies are…...
BREAKING: Ameren asks for a $64 million electric rate hike
Ameren has filed a $64 million rate-hike request before the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC). Here’s the statement by CUB Executive Director David Kolata: This is an awful time for a rate hike, as Illinois families struggle to pay their utility bills amid the COVID-19 public health crisis. Our legal team…...
BREAKING: CUB vows to fight ComEd’s $51 million rate-hike request
ComEd has announced it wants a $51 million rate hike. Below is CUB’s statement from Executive Director David Kolata. ComEd’s $51 million rate-hike request is bad timing, as an unprecedented number of consumers struggle to pay their utility bills during the pandemic. Our legal team will study ComEd’s rate-hike filing…...
Act now for affordable energy, broadband, water
As we fight to pass the Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA) in Illinois, we’re also monitoring action in Washington. There’s a federal infrastructure plan that would secure clean, affordable energy and water, as well as reliable broadband service for all. The American Jobs Plan calls for $621 billion in road,…...
