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Appellate court ruling rains on ComEd’s parade

Ever had to suffer through a long, expensive, food-spoiling power outage? Yep, it stinks. Even worse, for years, ComEd has dodged giving compensation to its customers in such outages. Those days may be over, thanks to a recent Illinois Appellate Court decision. Crain’s Chicago Business reported recently that the Appellate Court…...

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Last chance!

Fed up with your cable choices?  Make your voice heard while there’s still time! The Federal Communications Commission’s open comment period for the proposed Comcast/Time Warner merger ends August 25th.  Sign CUB’s petition demanding the FCC either reject the deal or ensure these basic consumer protections: Mandatory compensation to customers who suffer…...

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CUB to would-be Peoples Gas parent: Is that all you got?

On the pages of the Chicago Tribune this week, CUB gave a message to the would-be parent of Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas: Do more for Chicago-area gas customers! On Thursday, the watchdog group was asked to react to some pro-consumer promises Wisconsin Energy made in its filing asking…...

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Smartphones, be free!

Good news out of Washington can be a rare thing, but we’ve got some! A new law has now formally reversed a goofy policy that forced consumers to get their cellphone carrier’s permission if they wanted to take their phone to another carrier. This month, the “Unlocking Consumer Choice and…...

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The 5 most annoying things about Illinois’ power grid (and what a smarter grid could do about it)

Illinois’ power grid—the aging lines and equipment that deliver electricity to our doorstep—has become a costly headache for electric customers.  The “smart grid,” which is an umbrella term for grid upgrades, could help change that. CUB has compiled a list of the most annoying consumer headaches that ComEd and Ameren…...

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Win $300 for showing off your #CUBLove!

Get ready for your close-up! CUB staff travels across Illinois each year to help consumers save money on their utility bills.  We love visiting all the unique, special places that make our state so great!  Now, it’s your turn to show off: In honor of CUB’s 30th Anniversary, we’re giving $300 to…...

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5 things to turn off before you leave the room

by Esther Leonard Most people know to turn off their electronics or the AC before leaving the house. However, few people realize that they can save money while in the house by simply turning off electronics in unoccupied rooms. Before you leave the room, consider turning off these five energy…...

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4 steps to a productive company complaint

by Esther Leonard Many of us have felt wronged by a company. From over charges on electric bill to bad phone service, companies can get away with some shady stuff.  But you don’t have to take it lying down!  You can keep companies accountable by voicing your complaints. At CUB,…...

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Victory!

Give yourself a big pat on the back, because you did it! Thanks to 1,100 messages you sent to Illinois legislators, CUB helped win legislation to free up $30 million to improve solar power in Illinois– an effort that would add more power to the grid and lower everyone’s bills!…...

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Integrys Deal Changes

The City of Chicago announced that it has renegotiated its electricity deal with Integrys Energy Services after growing concern among consumers that they might be better off returning to ComEd for their electricity supply.  The new deal splits Chicago households into 10 different “tiers” with accompanying rates that are intended to save consumers money and…...

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