CUB’s Outreach team travels across the state to staff free events, giving consumers energy efficiency tips for their home, educating them on how clean energy can cut their utility bills and helping people protect themselves from scams and rip-offs. As the winter snow begins to thaw, people are starting to…...
Consumer alert: Illinois utility bills cover millions in hidden expenses that advance the utilities’ agendas, but have zero consumer benefit
Many Illinois consumers have no idea that their electric, gas and water bills cover tens of millions of dollars in self-serving utility expenses that have zero consumer benefit, but advance the agendas of Illinois utilities and increase their political power, consumer advocates warned Wednesday, while delivering thousands of petitions to…...
Making data centers pay their fair share
A data center is a facility that houses computer systems used for storing, processing and distributing digital information. They use a tremendous amount of electricity–the largest facilities can consume as much energy as 100,000 households a year (a mid-sized city)! Across the United States, data center electricity use has more than doubled…...
CUB Q&A: community solar billing
CUB regularly receives questions about community solar billing, so we put together this Q&A. What is Community Solar? Community solar is a program for people who can’t put solar on their own homes. It allows consumers to save money on their electric bills from energy produced by large, offsite community…...
CUB Capitol Report: Our 2026 Legislative Agenda Aims to Fight Rip-offs, Rein in High Private Water Bills, Eliminate Ridiculous Utility Charges, Make AT&T Pay Up
By Bryan McDanielCUB Director of Governmental Affairs Springfield’s November Veto Session was busy with the passage of the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability (CRGA) Act. CUB supported the bill as a response to rapidly rising power prices–but there is more work to do, as data centers continue to place a…...
CUB’s money-saving events in February
The Citizens Utility Board’s Outreach team travels across the state to staff free events, giving consumers energy efficiency tips for their home, educating them on how clean energy can cut their utility bills and helping people protect themselves from scams and rip-offs. Amid the winter-heating season, CUB can share tips…...
The devil is in the details: Analyzing PJM’s policy proposals on data centers
After months of suspense, the PJM Interconnection Board has proposed a series of policy changes on how to manage data center energy demand–a challenge that, if left unchecked, could in a few years spark catastrophic blackouts and price spikes for the 67 million customers who live in the nation’s largest…...
Statement: Consumer watchdog vows to fight Illinois American’s $134 million ‘money-grab’
The following is a statement from Citizens Utility Board (CUB) Executive Director Sarah Moskowitz on Illinois American’s latest rate-hike request. It is outrageous that Illinois American Water wants yet another rate hike. This company—a rate-hike machine—has already burdened customers with three increases totaling $230 million over the last decade, and…...
