Ameren Illinois customers have just suffered through one of the most expensive winter heating seasons in more than a decade, and now they face an $83 million electric rate-hike request. This is bad news for consumers, and it’s why we’re working to ensure the consumer-friendly rate-setting system (created by the Climate…...
Memo from the General Counsel: CUB’s consumer battles
By Julie Soderna, CUB General Counsel Below is a rundown of key consumer battles in our caseload. In summary, we helped reduce utility rate hikes by a total of $85 million, and we helped negotiate $2 million in refunds and energy assistance from three alternative suppliers accused of violating state…...
CUB, AG challenge North Shore Gas’ $10.6 million rate hike
North Shore Gas is seeking an unjust $10.6 million rate hike fueled by an inflated profit rate for its shareholders, according to testimony CUB filed with the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC). The testimony is part of an overall effort by consumer advocates, including the Illinois Attorney General’s office, to wipe…...
New Power Prices for Ameren, ComEd Customers
As of October 1, ComEd and Ameren are updating their electricity supply prices to reflect non-summer pricing. According to the companies, these are the new Ameren and ComEd prices through May 2021: Ameren (for people living in Ameren’s geographic service territory) Usage of 0 to 800 kilowatt-hours (kWh): 4.542 cents per kWh*…...
Tell the White House: Illinois wants clean and affordable energy
We talk a lot about how some energy regulators appointed by President Trump have voted to revamp a special electricity market called the “capacity market.” And for months we’ve been warning that this development at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) could slam most Illinois consumers with up to $1.7…...
Energy rip-offs have hit low-income communities hard, but here’s another reason the HEAT Act gives us hope
At CUB, we get reports that customers enrolled with alternative suppliers have been charged double or triple (or worse) for their electricity—and marketers have long preyed on the neighborhoods that can least afford to pay high power bills. That’s yet another reason we’re dedicated to making sure a new reform…...
Rate hike warning for Nicor customers
Nicor’s record-breaking $230M hike In November, just months after receiving a $93.5 million delivery increase, Nicor Gas was back at the ICC, asking for a $230 million rate hike. “This is the largest natural gas rate-hike request CUB has seen in 35 years of fighting for Illinois consumers, and it’s fueled by a massive profit rate…...