2014 has already been a rough year for consumers. Natural gas price spikes. Brutal electric rate-hike requests. Ominous cable mergers. It’s enough to tear your hair out! CUB is ready to crown Illinois’ most hated bill, and needs your input. What’s your biggest utility bill headache: Electric? Gas? Phone? Cable? Vote by noon…...
Brutal April: Ameren, ComEd ask for $481 M in electric rate hikes
We knew these rate-hike requests were coming, but they still hurt. In April, ComEd and Ameren have asked for a total of $481 million in rate hikes, which would take effect in January 2015. Here’s CUB’s statement: “This month, Ameren and ComEd have filed for $481 million in electric rate hikes—about…...
You’ll need an aspirin for these headaches
At CUB, we couldn’t do the work we do—saving individual consumers hundreds of dollars on their utility bills, advocating for consumer protections in Springfield, and fighting rate-hike hungry energy companies—without support and input from our members. That’s why we sent a survey out last November asking you to rate your…...
“She’s phenomenal!”
We received a call recently from a consumer ecstatic over the savings she discovered after speaking with one of our staffers at a utility bill clinic in Elmhurst. Theresia, of Wood Dale, learned how to shave $53.10 per month off her bills, thanks to guidance from CUB Environmental Outreach Coordinator Laura Goldberg.…...
How the Polar Vortex could still hit you… in June!
Winter may be over, but the pain of the polar vortex may soon show up on your energy bill. Alternative power supplier FirstEnergy intends to bill customers a one-time June surcharge to recover unexpectedly high costs incurred during the polar vortex, Crain’s Chicago Business reported. Ninety-eight of the 180 communities…...
Chicago Power Deal
The City of Chicago recently negotiated a new rate with Integrys Energy to fulfill the last 12 months of a 28-month municipal aggregation deal. The bad news for consumers: rates are going up. The less-bad news: rates are going up across the board for electricity in June, regardless of your supplier–and most…...
Municipal aggregation referenda results
Residents in 82 communities or counties have voted on whether they want local leaders to negotiate their power prices with ComEd or Ameren competitors. Here’s an example of the referendum: Shall the (Name of county/municipality) have the authority to arrange for the supply of electricity for its residential and small…...
