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Electricity

New power prices in Illinois

Summer is around the corner, bringing with it warm days, sunshine, flowers, and…new electric rates. ComEd customers can breathe a little easier starting June 1, as the utility’s price to compare will drop to 7.04¢/kWh through Sept. 30. That’s a decrease of about 7 percent from the current rate (7.572¢/kWh).  Ameren…...

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Why are my rates about to go up?

  Power prices in Southern and Central Illinois are set to skyrocket June 1.  But what’s behind this huge increase?  Read CUB’s Q&A to find out and take a short poll rating the electric market. If you haven’t already, join the 1,000+ CUB Action Network members who have sent a message…...

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Chicagoans return to ComEd this fall

The City of Chicago has decided to end its two-year power deal with Integrys Energy Services—the largest of its kind in the country—after determining that residents would no longer save on their electric bills.  Customers will return to ComEd, the regulated utility, starting September 2015. The City’s deal expires in May 2015, but…...

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Utilities stand in the way of money-saving pricing plans

If there was a program that could reduce demand on the power grid AND lower your electric bills AND cut harmful pollution, you would think that was a pretty good plan, right? The big electric companies disagree. CUB recently asked state regulators to explore the idea of ComEd and Ameren offering an optional…...

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Electricity updates: The good, the bad, and the ugly

The last 24 hours have been a whirlwind of electricity-related developments.  We’ve got some good news and bad news for Illinois consumers. First, the good. We’ve been saying for years that efficiency pays— and now we have the proof.  A CUB analysis released this morning shows that the Illinois Clean Jobs…...

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16,000+ messages sent by CUB’s Action Network in 2015

CUB Action Network members have been busy busy busy in 2015! Members sent 16,461 messages to regulators and legislators to reduce rate hikes, save phone service, preserve the open Internet, and protect consumers.  Check out the actions you’ve taken in 2015: 308 asked legislators to reduce ComEd and Ameren’s $436 million rate hikes.…...

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CUB/EDF propose an IL first: Community Solar

Power to the people, right on. -John Lennon Mr. Lennon would have appreciated the “community solar” proposal that CUB and the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) have made before the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC). The proposal would smash barriers that have kept families from enjoying the benefits of renewable energy. Imagine entire neighborhoods getting…...

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“Now is the time for Time-of-Use pricing”

Today, CUB and the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) urged ComEd and Ameren to offer optional “Time-of-Use” pricing plans in Illinois.  Such plans would reward energy-efficient customers for shifting electricity use away from “peak” hours–when demand is high, prices skyrocket, and power plants produce the most pollution.  These plans would not only save individual…...

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CUB’s Guide to Space Heaters

As temperatures drop this winter, many of us are digging out the space heater from the crawl space–anything to stay warm, right? But before you plug in, you probably have some  questions.  Are space heaters cost-effective for home heating?  Do they pose a safety risk?  What type of heater is…...

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Enrollment for Peak Time Savings is Quick and Easy

CUB Director of Governmental Affairs Bryan McDaniel walked us through how to sign up for Peak Time Savings (PTS).  PTS is a free program for ComEd customers with digital smart meters that credits customers for reducing electricity usage on certain high-demand summer days. Enrollment is quick and painless.  Take a…...

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