There’s a new chairman at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and that could be bad news for your cable bills. It’s disturbing that we pay $20 billion a year in fees because we have no other choice but to rent the set-top box from pay-TV companies like Comcast and…...
CUB honored with consumer education award
The Smart Grid Consumer Collaborative announced Monday that the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) is a recipient of the group’s CLEAR Consumer Education Award for 2017. The annual CLEAR Awards, now in its fifth year, recognizes a utility, technology provider and nonprofit that serve as role models for smart grid consumer education…...
One step closer to stopping Ameren’s attack on energy efficiency
This week our legal team received some good news: An Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) judge has recommended that the full ICC reject Ameren Illinois’ proposal to increase its customer charge by 9 percent. (Read CUB’s statement on the development.) Last August, the company had made the proposal, but CUB, Environmental…...
Stop: The “Raise Our Utility Bills Act”
New legislation was introduced in Washington this month that would kill efficiency standards and potentially hit Americans with billions of dollars in higher utility costs. H.R. 117 is called the “Energy Efficiency Free Market Act of 2017,” but a better name would be the “Raise Our Utility Bills Act.” The…...
New electric rates for Ameren customers
Ameren customers may be pleasantly surprised to see their new electric rates for 2017, but CUB is fighting for an even bigger rate decrease. The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) has approved a $14.5 million Ameren electric rate decrease that took effect Jan. 1. CUB is glad that rates have dropped,…...
New electric rates for ComEd customers
With the new year comes new electric rates for Illinoisans. The Illinois Commerce Commission has approved a $127.5 million ComEd delivery rate hike. The 5 percent increase took effect Jan. 1 and is expected to raise average bills (660 kilowatt-hours a month) by $2. CUB is challenging the rate hike…...
Fight for lower Illinois American Water rates
CUB’s putting out a statewide consumer alert because we need your help in a case before the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC). Customers of Illinois American Water have just received a $35.3 million rate hike. We helped reduce the proposed increase by about $14 million—but we think we can cut it even…...
Beware! New year, new electric rates
As of Jan. 1, the electric rates for both Ameren and ComEd customers have changed. For Ameren electric customers, rates have dropped about $14.5 million. However, CUB believes customers deserve an even bigger cut: a total of $22 million. That’s why the watchdog filed a petition of rehearing with the…...
