Reflecting the roller coaster nature of the gas market, the March supply rates charged by Illinois’ major gas utilities are marked by a few shocking price swings, including a 92 percent increase for one company compared to a year ago, a CUB review found. Gas utilities file supply prices–called the…...
AT&T’s response to last week’s nationwide outage
Last week, AT&T’s cellular outage lasted several hours and impacted customers nationwide. AT&T has come out since then with an apology and reassurance that the outage was a result of “the application and execution of an incorrect process used as we were expanding our network, not a cyberattack.” They plan…...
CUB statement on nationwide AT&T cellphone outage and tips for making calls
CUB Executive Director Sarah Moskowitz issues the following statement in response to AT&T’s nationwide wireless outage: This is a serious outage impacting public services, including peoples’ ability to call 911 on their wireless phones. After a year when AT&T boasted record operating income due to its mobile service (about $26…...
Clean Energy Advocates Join Healthcare Professionals to Discuss Health Benefits of Electrification for Southern Illinois Families
Environmental advocates will host an online panel of Illinois healthcare professionals to discuss indoor air pollution and children’s health. This topic is of growing interest, as studies link adverse health impacts to burning gas for heating homes and cooking. This free virtual event, which will include a community discussion, is:…...
CUB analysis: Read alternative supplier offers carefully (and watch for red flags)
Have you received an envelope in the mail that at first glance looks like it could be an urgent message from your utility company? Be careful: It could be another alternative supplier offer. Such a mailing can be common in Illinois and other states with competitive electricity choice. But here’s…...
What you need to know about ComEd’s billing change
Note to ComEd customers (3/3/2024): The utility’s switch to a new billing system was rocky, blocking millions of customers from paying their bills online for more than a week and erroneously notifying people they owed $9,999.99. The new billing system was supposed to be working on Feb. 19. On Feb.…...
Joint Release: AARP IL, CUB call for legislation to prohibit utilities from charging customers millions for self-serving PR campaigns, rate-hike legal fees
Illinois utilities would be prohibited from charging customers potentially tens of millions of dollars for self-serving purposes to increase their political power and advance their agenda, including goodwill advertising, political-issue campaigns and bankrolling high-priced legal teams working to win rate hikes against consumers, under legislation supported by the Citizens Utility…...
Springfield Alert: Your action needed to stop “Right of First Refusal” proposals pushed by electric utilities
Remember last year’s big consumer victory, when Gov. J.B. Pritzker vetoed Ameren Illinois’ “Right of First Refusal” proposal? The plan would have needlessly raised costs for electric customers by giving Ameren a monopoly over transmission projects in its territory, and, thus, eliminating a competitive bidding process. It would have been…...
