The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) took a big step in improving the power market, proposing new rules to protect consumers against misleading marketing. CUB and other consumer advocates applaud the new rules. For about two years, we have been calling for tougher rules to prevent misleading and confusing marketing by…...
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has reached a settlement with a Washington, D.C.-based alternative electricity supplier, Ethical Electric Inc., for misleading direct mail solicitations of its “green” offers. Under the settlement, Ethical, which has been a top source of consumer questions or complaints to CUB, promises to pay customers refunds.…...
By Sagar Dommaraju Northern Illinois consumers with alternative electricity suppliers have lost $188.6 million over the last two years, according to the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) in an annual electric competition report. The ICC’s Office of Retail Market Development said in its annual report that Illinois consumers with another supplier lost…...
As the weather gets warmer, CUB handles more reports of shady electricity sales pitches. But now, door-to-door peddlers have reached a new low. Earlier this summer, two people were arrested for trespassing after going door-to-door and trying to get residents of a Chicago apartment building to switch power suppliers. “Finally,” one customer…...
Nicor Advanced Energy—an unregulated gas supplier that has sparked complaints from confused customers whose gas bills went up—will change its name and logo, under a settlement hailed as a consumer victory by Attorney General Lisa Madigan and CUB. The settlement is part of Atlanta-based Southern Co.’s proposed buyout of Nicor…...
Check out this story by a member of ABC 7’s I-Team, Jason Knowles, on CUB’s proposal to videotape door-to-door pitches by alternative energy suppliers. (The sales people would videotape themselves making the pitch, but the customers would not be filmed.) We’re fighting the good fight! http://ow.ly/4mRBP9...
Here’s a good example of how current Illinois law breeds misleading electric and gas marketing: One logo is for Illinois’ biggest regulated gas utility. The other is for an alternative supplier that has sparked hundreds of complaints/questions over the years—many from confused people who were stuck with high bills. A lot…...
