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CUB’s Final Four—of bad utility bills

Last night March Madness—and bracket obsessing— officially wrapped up with the crowning of the Duke Blue Devils as national champions. Now that the big game is over, you can help name the winner in CUB’s Final Four—of bad utility bills! Vote on what you think is your worst bill by…...

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Cold winter = refund on gas bills

Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas customer will receive a $33.5 million refund this year due to the unusually cold winter. Customers should expect to see a monthly credit on their bill, starting this month and ending in December.  Total average refunds will reach $29.50 for Peoples customers and $23 for North Shore customers,…...

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Good news: Gas prices down by 30-70%

One year ago, Illinois residents were recovering from a polar vortex that pushed natural gas prices as high as a record $1.21 a therm. Flash forward to this spring and gas prices have fallen by as much as 84 cents per therm. The prices change on a monthly basis, but…...

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Telecom, utility concerns on AG’s list of top consumer complaints

Telecommunications and utilities are both top concerns for Illinois residents, according to Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s annual top 10 list of consumer complaints. In 2014, the Attorney General’s office fielded 2,162 telecommunications-related complaints from consumers (No. 3 on the list), and 566 utility-related complaints (No. 10). Attorney General Madigan’s…...

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16,000+ messages sent by CUB’s Action Network in 2015

CUB Action Network members have been busy busy busy in 2015! Members sent 16,461 messages to regulators and legislators to reduce rate hikes, save phone service, preserve the open Internet, and protect consumers.  Check out the actions you’ve taken in 2015: 308 asked legislators to reduce ComEd and Ameren’s $436 million rate hikes.…...

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Attorney General: Pump the brakes on Peoples pipeline project

In light of ballooning costs and allegations of mismanagement, Attorney General Madigan is asking Peoples Gas to back down from a pledge to complete its massive pipeline replacement project by 2030. In a brief filed March 27 with the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC), Madigan said that Peoples’ project has fallen seriously behind schedule…...

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April showers bring…special CUB umbrellas!

Don’t let rate hikes—and April showers—put a damper on your spring. With a donation of $25 or more, you’ll receive a special CUB umbrella (emblazoned with the CUB bear) to protect yourself from higher rates—and pesky thunderstorms. It’s a great way to ring in spring—and support CUB! Your donation will help…...

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 Speed bump: Comcast’s $45 billion merger gets delayed

Big news for cable customers this week: Comcast’s controversial, $45 billion acquisition of Time Warner Cable Inc. has been tripped up by regulatory delays. The two largest U.S. cable companies hoped the deal would be finalized in “early” 2015 but now say they expect it to close in the middle…...

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Worst Natural Gas Deals in Illinois

In northern Illinois, consumers have the option of choosing their natural gas supplier.  But be careful!  CUB reviewed dozens of offers and uncovered prices that were double or nearly double the utility rates. Watch CUB tell ABC 7’s Jason Knowles how to be a savvy shopper in the gas market. The fact that…...

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What’s in an audit?

Oak Park resident Alan Goldberg (father to CUB’s very own environmental outreach coordinator, Laura Goldberg) knew his home was a little “drafty.”  But he had no idea just how much energy he was losing— until he got a home energy audit. A home energy audit is an assessment of your…...

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