Concluding a year-long investigation into concerns that Peoples Gas’ controversial pipe-replacement program was ushering Chicagoans to the brink of a financial abyss, the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) Thursday significantly restricted the amount the utility sought to spend to complete the initiative. In a ruling on the future of Peoples’ System Modernization…...
Act now for our power bills, our power grid – Support the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability (CRGA) Act
We need your help to push for new legislation–the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability (CRGA) Act–which would implement a number of reforms that are good for clean, affordable and reliable electricity. As you know, ComEd customers are set to pay higher supply prices on June 1, due to poor policy…...
CUB’s 2025 State Capitol agenda: Fighting high bills, ridiculous charges, secret votes and supplier overcharges
By Bryan McDaniel CUB’s Director of Governmental Affairs The thing about consumer advocates is that we never give up. That’s why year after year, we’re advocating for strong, pro-consumer policy in the halls of the State Capitol. Here’s a summary of what we’re working on. Senate Bill 75: The Water…...
My guided tour of ComEd’s Community Solar billing mess
By Marina Minic Solar Programs Coordinator Nearly a year after ComEd’s switch to a new billing system sparked frustrating billing problems for many customers, people are still reporting problems, including participants in Illinois’ groundbreaking Community Solar program–like me! I’ll explain my own experience with ComEd’s current billing mess to show…...
CUB’s monthly report on gas market volatility: February 2025
Gas utilities file supply prices–called the Purchased Gas Adjustment (PGA)–each month with the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC). Here’s what CUB uncovered in our review of prices in February. Compared with last month (January 2025), prices were higher for eight of 9 utilities: Ameren Illinois (about 1.8 percent higher), Illinois Gas…...
Illinois Future of Gas: Alternative Fuels Meeting – January 13, 2025
By: Scott Allen, Energy Policy Specialist Alternative fuels was the theme of the eighth Future of Gas workshop. Advocates often refer to alternative fuels and decarbonization technologies (like so-called “renewable” natural gas, hydrogen and carbon capture connected to coal plants) as “false solutions” because they fail to truly deliver the…...
News Release: Breakthrough Agreement with Ameren will Accelerate Clean Energy, Cut Costs with Smarter Grid Planning
Today the Citizens Utility Board (CUB), Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), and Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC) have announced they reached a settlement with Ameren to integrate grid-enhancing technologies (GETs) into transmission planning in its service territory in Illinois, helping maximize customer benefits of Ameren’s transmission investments. (CUB Note: This…...
CUB statement on Ameren’s proposed $134 million gas rate hike
Ameren Illinois has proposed a $134.4 million gas rate hike in 2025. The following is a statement from CUB. CUB will challenge Ameren’s Illinois’ proposed gas rate hike. Ameren has already won $111 million in gas rate hikes since 2021, helping to plunge too many consumers across Illinois into crisis…...
Illinois Future of Gas: Geothermal Energy Meeting – December 16, 2024
By: Scott Allen, Energy Policy Specialist The final Future of Gas workshop of 2024 was possibly the most optimistic one to date. The theme of this workshop was geothermal energy and thermal energy networks (or, TENs) Geothermal energy and energy networks are both interesting and practical, and, as we heard…...
