Customers of Illinois’ largest electric utility are one step closer to enjoying another program to help them save money and lower their reliance on dirty sources of power: “Time-of-use” (TOU) pricing. Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) have been pressing for this innovative program for more…...
Consumer, environmental advocates flood Springfield to support Clean Energy Jobs Act
By Hannah Finnerty, CUB communications coordinator It was still dark outside when 500 bleary-eyed consumer and environmental advocates from across the state packed onto buses and headed to Springfield. Hoping to meet with their legislators at the state capitol, they planned to urge their senators and representatives to pass the…...
What you need to know about this summer’s electricity costs
As summer arrives, here’s a rundown of key electricity issues facing Illinois consumers. Lower Supply Prices: Ameren and ComEd have new prices for electricity supply, which will be in effect from June 1 to Oct. 1. ComEd’s price is 6.725 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh), down about 9 percent from last June. Ameren’s price…...
A CUB Buyer’s Guide to LED Bulbs
Lighting accounts for approximately 20 percent of a typical electric bill, so using energy efficient bulbs can result in big savings. If enough people switch to LEDs (light-emitting diodes), by 2027 the U.S. could save about $265 billion, according to a Department of Energy estimate. But how do you choose…...
FAQ on Dynegy’s legislation: Why you should oppose it
In the General Assembly’s October Veto session, Houston-based Dynegy is pushing legislation (Senate Bill 2250/House Bill 4141) to prop up its financially ailing coal-fired power plants. UPDATE: The bill stalled in 2017, but CUB fully expects the legislation to come back in 2018. CUB opposes the legislation. Here’s why you should…...
CUB statement on new consumer protections for IL electric customers
Statement: Although we disagree with efforts by the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules to weaken certain consumer protections, the new rules are a step in the right direction to protect Illinois consumers from misleading marketing by alternative power suppliers. You can’t have a healthy electricity market without strong consumer…...
New Ameren supply rate
People have been calling CUB wanting to know what Ameren’s new summer power price will be. Now we know! The price, effective June 1, is: 5.369 cents/kilowatt-hour (kWh) What you need to know: *If you are an Ameren supply customer—meaning if you are NOT with an alternative supplier—this is what you…...
Give yourself (and your power bill) a relaxing Fourth of July
By Sagar Dommaraju What better holiday than Independence Day to free yourself from high electricity costs. Follow these tips for the perfect Fourth of July weekend. First, take a holiday from the daily bustle and leave your electronics—computers, TVs, phones, printers—alone for the weekend. Make sure to unplug them completely…...
