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Natural Gas

New report: Midwest natural gas bills could go up by 30%

Natural gas customers in the Midwest can expect to spend more to heat their homes this winter, but their bills should still be comparable to or lower than most winters this past decade, according to a new federal report . Gas customers in the Midwest may see their total heating costs rise…...

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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…...

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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…...

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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…...

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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…...

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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…...

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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…...

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IL’s budget crisis, and your utility bills

CUB’s been getting a steady stream of calls today from people concerned about how Illinois’ budget crisis threatens a program that encourages people to be good utility customers. To fill a $4 billion gap in the budget, the state of Illinois says it has suspended the Percentage of Income Payment…...

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Good news: Gas prices down by 30-70%

One year ago, Illinois residents were recovering from a polar vortex that pushed natural gas prices as high as a record $1.21 a therm. Flash forward to this spring and gas prices have fallen by as much as 84 cents per therm. The prices change on a monthly basis, but…...

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Worst Natural Gas Deals in Illinois

In northern Illinois, consumers have the option of choosing their natural gas supplier.  But be careful!  CUB reviewed dozens of offers and uncovered prices that were double or nearly double the utility rates. Watch CUB tell ABC 7’s Jason Knowles how to be a savvy shopper in the gas market. The fact that…...

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