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Electric bills

Q&A: The Attorney General’s Settlement with Ethical Electric

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.…...

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Fight for a $30 M Ameren rate cut

You may have heard that Ameren proposed a $14 million electric rate cut, to take effect on Jan. 1, 2017. Now, CUB and other consumer advocates have analyzed Ameren’s filing—and we argue that the company owes you an even bigger decrease: $30 million. Here’s how you can help us in…...

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Folks, we have a winner…

Cue the drum roll: We’re pleased to announce that Donna H. is the lucky winner of CUB’s “Biggest Energy Hog” summer quick poll! The Chicago-resident beat out more than 2,350 other hopefuls to snag CUB’s top prize—$100 off her power bill and two super-efficient light bulbs. Her name was randomly…...

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Midnight deadline: Last call to take quick poll

Memorial Day weekend is over but that doesn’t mean the fun has to end. Take our summer quick poll before midnight tonight, and you could walk away $100 richer! Entering the quick poll is simple. All you have to do is vote for the biggest energy hog in your house,…...

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Free energy-saving products!

Peoples Gas, North Shore Gas and ComEd have all partnered to bring homeowners free and discounted energy-saving products to reduce their home’s energy and water use. Participants will receive a free personalized home energy assessment along with the installation of discounted energy-saving products: Programmable thermostat WaterSense® certified showerheads Pipe insulation Smart…...

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Live in Illinois? Your Energy Data May be Easier for You to Access than Ever Before

By: David Kolata and Andrew Barbeau Knowledge is power – especially when it comes to electricity. And as Illinois’ biggest electric utility installs 4 million new digital, advanced meters across the state, people are on the brink of obtaining the intelligence they need to maximize the benefits of this smart…...

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He won six months of free power!

By: Laura Goldberg This past year, the University of Illinois-Chicago’s Office of Sustainability, in partnership with CUB, challenged students, faculty, and staff to compete against one another in a year-long energy savings competition. Interested UIC participants were prompted to sign up for CUB Energy Saver, our free online energy efficiency…...

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Winners of CUB’s giveaway take home smart thermostats

Congratulations to Thomas, of Walnut, and Richard, of Mount Prospect, on winning CUB’s smart thermostat giveaway. The two lucky winners beat out more than 2,000 other participants to take home the free, money-saving devices valued at about $250. For Thomas, who is in the process of moving to Putnam, winning the smart thermostat means he can…...

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Results of quick poll on Exelon Bill

Nearly 1,900 people responded to our informal survey about a push by Illinois’ biggest energy company, ComEd-parent Exelon, to raise electric bills by up to $1.6 billion–and eight out of 10 said NO to the idea. Exelon says keeping its nuclear plants open will fight climate change—and they need economic help. Opponents…...

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Get ready for summer with this money-saving checklist

Use this simple checklist to get your home ready for summer: 1) Dust off the grill: Grills keep heat out of the kitchen, meaning air conditioners don’t have to work harder to cool it off. 2) Schedule a check-up: An HVAC technician should check your heating and cooling equipment. Should…...

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