By Samantha Vercellino Nobody likes to receive the monthly power bill, but that rings especially true for Kay Uhrin—whose April statement said she owed $2,230.54! Stunned, the Rockford-area resident immediately called ComEd who claimed she had used 18,223 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity in 29 days. (That’s more than triple her…...
Big refund for Major Energy customers
When CUB conducted a review of the worst alternative electric deals in spring of 2014, we smelled something fishy. For example, we encountered several customers on plans charging up to six times the utility’s rates! And what company were those particular customers with? Major Energy. Those customer may receive justice this week.…...
New power prices in Illinois
Summer is around the corner, bringing with it warm days, sunshine, flowers, and…new electric rates. ComEd customers can breathe a little easier starting June 1, as the utility’s price to compare will drop to 7.04¢/kWh through Sept. 30. That’s a decrease of about 7 percent from the current rate (7.572¢/kWh). Ameren…...
Breaking: Stage is set for a Supreme Court showdown over your electric bills
Today, we have good news for energy efficiency— and your future power bills. The Supreme Court announced that it will review a 2014 Appellate Court decision that stripped the Federal Regulatory Energy Commission (FERC) of its authority to promote, regulate and help develop “demand-response” programs in the energy market. Demand response refers to programs…...
Editorial roundup: the battle to protect electric customers in Springfield
Springfield is abuzz with two very different pieces of energy legislation, one that could help electric customers and another that could hurt them. One is the Illinois Clean Jobs bill (House Bill 2607/Senate Bill 1485), which would increase energy efficiency and renewable energy standards in Illinois. A CUB analysis found that the…...
Scam Alert
Utility-related issues, telecommunications complaints, identity theft and fraud all made Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s top 10 list of consumer concerns. With new scams creeping up every day, read CUB’s list of cons and rip-offs so you can protect yourself. Let us know if you have heard of these scams,…...
Chicagoans return to ComEd this fall
The City of Chicago has decided to end its two-year power deal with Integrys Energy Services—the largest of its kind in the country—after determining that residents would no longer save on their electric bills. Customers will return to ComEd, the regulated utility, starting September 2015. The City’s deal expires in May 2015, but…...
