By Bryan McDaniel CUB Director of Governmental Affairs I want to share my experience at a recent CUB utility bill clinic. It underscores why we’re so grateful for your support against rip offs and more than $8 billion in higher rates: When I’m not in Springfield working for pro-consumer legislation,…...
Step forward in Illinois: ICC OKs new protections against electric rip-offs
After three years of hard work by consumer advocates and regulators, the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) today voted to finalize new consumer protections against electric rip-offs. The key rules require alternative electric suppliers to: -Obtain a third-party verification of a door-to-door sale or a “Letter of Agency” (documentation in which…...
Repeal of Clean Power Plan a blow to energy efficiency
When Scott Pruitt, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), began the process of repealing the Clean Power Plan, environmentalists from across the country decried the move. But there’s another reason to oppose the administration’s short-sighted actions to kill the plan: It offered the best opportunity to maximize investment…...
CUB on repeal of Clean Power Plan: Bad news for consumers
As expected, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency today issued a proposed rule to repeal the Clean Power plan. Read the statement by CUB Executive Director David Kolata: “Any attempt by the Administration to weaken or repeal the Clean Power Plan is bad news for consumers. The Clean Power…...
Equifax data breach: What you need to know
What happened? On Sept. 7, the credit reporting agency Equifax announced that hackers had broken into its computer network, exposing the personal information of up to 143 million U.S. consumers — nearly half the country. At first Equifax reported that the hack happened between May 13 and July 29. But…...
“Peaking” your interest? Consumers question why they haven’t received peak-time alerts this summer
Here’s the text that CUB General Counsel Julie Soderna received the day after she earned $7.50 in bill credits for participating in the Peak Time Savings program. (Good job, Julie!) Peak Time Savings (ComEd) and Peak Time Rewards (Ameren Illinois) are two no-cost, money-saving programs that CUB has encouraged people,…...
CUB statement on new consumer protections for IL electric customers
Statement: Although we disagree with efforts by the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules to weaken certain consumer protections, the new rules are a step in the right direction to protect Illinois consumers from misleading marketing by alternative power suppliers. You can’t have a healthy electricity market without strong consumer…...
