Ameren’s had $90 million in rate hikes since 2008, and now it wants more. In late January, Ameren Illinois filed for a $53 million natural gas rate hike, including a return on equity (profit rate for shareholders) of more than 10 percent. This is the same Ameren whose parent company earned more…...
They made how much?
We’re fighting the utilities in nearly $1 billion in rate-hike battles, but a review of their parent companies’ 2nd quarter earnings would have more than a few Illinois consumers scratching their heads as to why the companies need all that extra cash. The parent companies of ComEd, Peoples Gas, North Shore Gas,…...
Which company grinds your gears?
Over 30 years of service, we have seen all sorts of utility mischief: sky-high bills, unresponsive customer service, confusing rates. And in a year of astronomical prices and frequent rate-hike requests, we know there’s still plenty to complain about. So here’s your chance to air it out: In honor of CUB’s 30th anniversary, we’re…...
How the Wisconsin Energy-Integrys deal benefits Chicago customers: (crickets)
The headline in Crain’s Chicago Business says it all: What’s the sale of Integrys do for Chicago? Not much Yesterday, Wisconsin Energy announced that it was buying Integrys, the parent company of Chicago-area utilities Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas, in a $9.1 billion deal. But for a company pulling…...
Big deal! Peoples/North Shore parent to be gobbled up for $9 billion
Wisconsin Energy Corp announced this morning that it plans to purchase Integrys Energy Group, Inc.– parent company to Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas– for $9.1 billion. The combined company will serve 4.3 million electric and gas customers across Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota. The deal is set to close in…...
Municipal aggregation ain’t what it used to be
Want to see just how drastically Illinois’ electric market has changed? Take a look at what’s happening to “municipal aggregation.” Aggregation is where local leaders negotiate power prices with alternative suppliers on behalf of their residents. A few years ago, it was an almost-universally great idea for communities. In fact, in…...
5 surprising things you should know about the June rate hike
As of June 1, ComEd’s electricity rate shot up 38 percent, to about 7.596 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh). And the prices offered by unregulated power suppliers competing against ComEd are going up too. To paraphrase Dorothy: “Toto, I don’t think we’re in the same electricity market anymore.” Whether you’re with…...
