Read CUB Executive Director David Kolata’s statement on the latest consumer victory: a $10 million refund for Chicago gas customers. (Also send a message asking state regulators to approve the refund!) CUB is pleased that WEC Energy Group, the parent company of Peoples Gas, has agreed to a settlement that…...
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…...
Fight unfair utility legal fees
A CUB review of recent rate-hike cases found that Illinois utilities have slapped their customers with more than $40 million in legal fees, meaning the hard-earned cash consumers burn on their utility bills actually bankrolls corporate legal teams battling to increase those same bills. But CUB is pushing new legislation…...
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…...
Did Peoples Gas mislead state regulators? New AG/CUB filing makes the case
In a recent filing before state regulators, Attorney General Lisa Madigan and CUB argue that Peoples Gas “knowingly misled” state regulators or withheld from them the $8 billion estimated cost of a troubled pipe-replacement program. The AG/CUB pleading, filed on Feb. 4, argues that utility officials may not have disclosed the figure–which…...
Beware bad gas deals
With federal predictions that we could pay the lowest winter heating bills in more than a decade, be careful to avoid bad gas deals peddled by alternative suppliers. For roughly 15 years, Northern Illinois consumers have been able to choose another company to supply their natural gas–other than the regulated utilities, North…...
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…...
