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Is this electric pitch legit? CUB breaks it down

Members of CUB’s consumer advocacy department (CAD) take thousands of inquiries each year, so  they’ve heard all about the crazy pitches consumers receive from alternative electric suppliers. Last week, Sandra Marcelin-Reme—a veteran of the department—shared one consumer complaint that shows the type of trickery consumers are up against. Take a look at the…...

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Outreach team notches $18,376 in consumer savings in first-quarter

Members of CUB’s legal and policy teams aren’t the only ones helping Illinois consumers save money this year. According to CUB records, the outreach department—which holds money-saving events across Illinois—showed consumers how to cut their utility bills by roughly $18,375.72. The nine-member team spends most of its time out in…...

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Hate robocalls ➡ Sign Petition

CUB doesn’t always see eye-to-eye with FCC Chairman Ajit Pai on key consumer issues—but here’s where we do agree: We hate robocalls. Any recorded call that tries to sell you something without your written permission is an illegal robocall. In fact, we were hit with about 2.4 billion robocalls a…...

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The day in the life of a CUB outreach staffer…

By Annabelle Roser As solar energy becomes more accessible to everyday consumers, the financial incentives of owning solar panels can be hard to pass up. The benefits of subsidizing or eliminating your energy bills through net-metering can be especially enticing to retirees or those on fixed incomes. Recently, I met…...

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Big victories so far in 2017

The year is young, but thanks to the support of Illinois residents, CUB’s legal team has notched some nice consumer victories in the first few months of 2017. ComEd rate cut!  In March, CUB helped secure a $17 million rate cut for ComEd customers, after a portion of a rate…...

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Why support landlines?

Why should you oppose AT&T’s bid to kill traditional home phone service in its Illinois territory—even if you don’t own a landline? First, it might be helpful to know what the phone giant wants out of legislation in Springfield. AT&T is pushing two bills: Senate Bill 1381 and House Bill…...

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Good news- $17 million ComEd rate cut!

We thank the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) for approving a $17.5 million Commonwealth Edison rate cut. This is good news for ComEd customers. While building a more reliable power grid is a major undertaking, ComEd’s customers shouldn’t have to pay a penny more than what the utility can justify. This…...

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Don’t get HOT over your AC bill

Illinois households burn an average of $2,693 a year on energy bills, according to the federal Energy Information Administration, and half of that goes into heating and cooling. As summer approaches, it’s time to start thinking how to keep air conditioning bills from going through the roof. Repair or replace?…...

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What is the Future Energy Jobs Act? CUB analyzes Illinois’ biggest energy legislation in years

The Illinois General Assembly has passed the Future Energy Jobs Act, one of the most significant pieces of energy legislation in the past 20 years. CUB members should know about this new law. What is it?  The Future Energy Jobs Act (Senate Bill 2814) is a compromise bill that was…...

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How much are utility parent companies making?

Help us in the fight against these utility giants. Consider a small gift, whatever you can afford, to help us lower your electric, gas and telecom bills!...

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