Did you receive a mailing from Arcadia Power, touting community solar? Have you seen Arcadia’s advertisements online? Consumers from across Illinois are asking CUB lots of questions about Arcadia’s offer. We’ll try to break it down below. What is “community solar”? Community solar is an exciting new program in Illinois that can help…...
IL power bills lowest in the Midwest (again)–but that advantage is threatened
For the seventh consecutive year, Illinois had the lowest average electricity bills in the Midwest, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). But nobody thinks power bills are low—there’s more work to do. That’s why CUB and other consumer/environmental advocates are pushing Illinois to pass the Clean Energy Jobs…...
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…...
CUB: Clean Energy Jobs Act would “protect our pocketbooks and the planet”
Saying Illinois urgently needs the Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA) “to protect our pocketbooks and the planet,” CUB Executive Director David Kolata testified before a Chicago City Council committee today in support of a resolution endorsing the legislation now before the General Assembly in Springfield. The Committee on Environmental Protection…...
She wondered why her electric bill had skyrocketed
By Ivonne Ortiz, Environmental Outreach Coordinator, CUB Each year, CUB helps thousands of Illinoisans who have complaints/inquiries about their utility companies. Recently, I took the complaint of a ComEd customer who wondered why her power bills were skyrocketing. She lives alone in a condo and hadn’t made any changes to her…...
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…...
Take action for Efficiency!
Watching daily developments in Washington, it’s easy to get discouraged. But as a nonpartisan group that works to lower utility bills, we want to alert you about good legislation on Capitol Hill—and give you a chance to take action. Just last week, the Energy and Natural Resources Committee recommended that…...