CUB’s Consumer Advocacy team spends most of their days answering people’s calls and emails about utility bills and service. In 2024, this team (Annie, Danielle, Sandra) handled more than 1,600 consumer inquiries, saving individual utility customers a total of $48,054. Below are examples of people whom we’ve advocated for in…...
Happy New Year! Check out CUB’s January events
CUB’s Outreach team travels across the state of Illinois to staff free events offering 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. We hope to see you at one soon! 10:00…...
Support CUB on Giving Tuesday
Tuesday, Dec. 3 is Giving Tuesday, the international day for supporting nonprofits. And it’s a good day to support CUB’s work for clean energy, consumer protections and lower utility bills! Plus, today you could win an iPad! There are two ways to enter CUB’s Giving Tuesday iPad Giveaway: 1) Give a donation of…...
Rip-off Alert: Paying more than triple for power?
This summer CUB found consumers in different parts of Illinois paying an electricity supply rate with Clearview Energy that was more than triple what they would have paid with their utilities. At a utility-bill clinic in Lansing in June, CUB found that Dan was paying Clearview 22.99 cents per kilowatt-hour…...
How to: Determine the right size of your room air conditioner
Choosing the right size room air conditioner can significantly impact its performance and efficiency. Contrary to popular belief, a larger unit doesn’t always mean better cooling. It’s crucial to ensure that the air conditioner size matches the room’s dimensions and uses. Here’s how to determine the optimal size for your…...
Buried in $493M in overdue bills: ICC database shows urgency of Illinois reining in big utilities
In one month alone, major electric, gas and water utilities in Illinois reported that more than 1.3 million of their customers were buried in $493.6 million in debt, according to April numbers the companies were required to file with the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC). “A lot has changed over the…...
Casework Roundup: A report from CUB’s General Counsel
By Eric DeBellis CUB General Counsel As usual, we’re busy juggling a heavy caseload before the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) concerning the state’s biggest utilities: ComEd, Ameren, Peoples Gas, Illinois American and Aqua Illinois. Here’s a summary of where we’re at: Electric Cases Background: Back in December, the ICC slashed…...
CUB Q&A on the Realgy Settlement
Former customers of alternative electric and gas supplier Realgy, LLC, have called CUB with questions about a check they were mailed. An accompanying message explains that the check is related to a settlement the staff of the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) and CUB reached with the supplier. The check is…...
