The last thing anybody needs in the middle of this crisis is to pay high utility bills. That’s why we’re continuing to analyze bills for Illinois consumers. “I’m afraid they may be overcharging me,” said one consumer who emailed her gas and electric bills to us. She was right: An…...
Overpaying by $4.4 billion? New report shows why we need electricity market reforms
We’re paying $4.4 billion more for electricity than we need to be. According to a new report, consumers all over the U.S.—including northern Illinois—are overpaying for a “capacity” charge that’s hidden on most electric bills. This is a major reason why CUB is fighting for the electricity-market reform provisions in…...
CUB “helped save my company from bankruptcy” with $82,000 credit
Devin B. won’t ever forget the monster ComEd bills he feared would bankrupt his small business before it even started. In March, ComEd told him he had used 293,106 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity. That’s about 2,400 times his typical usage. His bill, which usually hovered around $100, ballooned to $44,226.…...
What’s going with clean jobs training in Illinois?
by Cate York, CUB sustainable communities liaison The Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA) of 2016 was huge. It ramped up energy efficiency programs for ComEd and Ameren customers, exploded the solar economy, and created low-income programs to extend the benefits of clean energy to all Illinoisans. But what about the…...
Summer Do’s and Don’ts from CUB
In 2019, the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) is celebrating 35 years of serving as Illinois’ premier nonprofit watchdog for utility customers. We’ve helped save Illinoisans more than $20 billion over the years. In honor of our anniversary, here are some of CUB’s summer Dos and Don’ts. DON’T…fall for electric rip-offs. ComEd’s…...
Scam alert: Who’s at your door?
Warning: Both ComEd and Ameren say they’ve seen an increase in reports of scammers posing as the utility companies to try to bilk customers out of their hard-earned money. One TV station reported on these scams just this month. “Scammers are using increasingly advanced tactics and they are very convincing,”…...