By Stephanie Zimmerman Chicago Sun-Times Utility bills can be confusing, but the nonpartisan Citizens Utility Board of Illinois has helped save consumers an estimated $20 billion in blocked rate hikes and refunds over the past 40 years. Yet not everyone knows about the group’s role in representing ratepayers, says CUB’s…...
Hey Illinois, beware of rip-offs
Everybody is worrying about costs these days—I know we talk to a lot of concerned consumers. That’s why CUB is issuing this warning. If you get pitched any of these offers, be careful! Maintenance plans. They peddle peace of mind (“the unexpected—protected,” says one ad). But maintenance plans offered to utility…...
Citizens Utility Board’s Mid-Year Report
By Executive Director David Kolata In 2019, the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) celebrates 35 years of fighting for Illinois consumers. We were a long shot when a handful of people led by pioneering Executive Director Sue Stewart began working for consumers in May of 1984. “Those who expect the citizens’…...
Lessons from my summers in India: Staying cool without breaking the bank
By: Sagar Dommaraju Illinois summers are hot—but they’re nothing compared to the ones I experience when I visit relatives in southern India. Temperatures there easily top 100 degrees, cooling rains rarely fall, and—if you live in a rural village—air conditioning is unavailable at certain peak electricity times. But those stifling…...
CUB’s top 5 money-saving cases from 2015
Over the years, CUB has helped save consumers an astounding $20 billion—an accomplishment that would be impossible to meet without our consumer advocates. In 2015 alone, the consumer advocacy team generated $30,000 in savings for individual consumers who called us with a utility complaint, according to CUB records. That’s why…...
