When it comes to setting the thermostat, everyone has an opinion–and that can lead to some heated debates among couples (pun intended). According to the Department of Energy, setting your thermostat back 7 to 10 degrees from its normal setting for 8 hours a day can save you up to 10…...
Gas prices are up–but don’t fall for these myths
Chicago-area natural gas prices this month are up 41-51 percent compared with last February–but don’t assume you’ll find better deals with an unregulated gas supplier. The most notable February increase is for Nicor Gas customers, who will see a 52 percent jump since last year, from 27 cents per therm to 41 cents…...
Big victory over consumer confusion
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…...
CUB’s guide to avoiding bad gas deals
Gas customers in Illinois have the option of choosing an unregulated alternative gas company instead of the regulated utility for their gas supply. Making the right choice, however, can be hard work! And now that utility heating prices are at their lowest in nearly 15 years, it is more important than…...
EIA: ‘U.S. households will pay the lowest…gas bills this winter in more than a decade’
Aside from this week’s brutal cold, warmer-than-normal winter weather is a big reason natural gas prices have plunged. Over the last four months, average prices for the major utilities have dropped by as much as 49 percent. “U.S. households will pay the lowest heating oil and natural gas bills this winter in…...
Illinoisans haven’t seen gas prices like this since…2001!
This isn’t a misprint: December’s natural gas prices are at their lowest point in nearly 15 years! Major Illinois utilities are charging consumers 26-48 percent less to heat their homes this December compared to last. Peoples Gas shows the biggest price drop of all, charging customers about 28 cents per…...
Gas Market Monitor: 9/10 alternative supplier offers have been money-losers
CUB’s free online tool, the Gas Market Monitor, has some startling findings about Northern Illinois’ natural gas market: 9 of 10 plans offered by unregulated suppliers have been money-losers since 2003. CUB announced the numbers in a news conference today to give Northern Illinois households a warning as they prepare for another long…...
CUB endorsement: Programs to help lower your gas bills!
Over the summer, we asked our CUB Action Network members if they wanted to know more about CUB’s favorite energy efficiency programs. The answer was a resounding: YES! So without further adieu, here is a deep dive into two programs being offered to gas customers in Northern Illinois: the energySMART program from…...
