2021 was a year of rate hike battles and the fight to pass the Climate & Equitable Jobs Act. In the new year, we plan to staff hundreds of free events, and handle more than one thousand inquiries from Illinois consumers with complaints or questions about their utility service–and we…...
CUB Executive Director David Kolata’s statement on Nicor rate hike
The following is a statement from Citizens Utility Board (CUB) Executive Director David Kolata on Nicor Gas’ $240 million rate hike. It’s unacceptable that Nicor Gas pushed for higher rates—its third record request in four years—while people are struggling under a pandemic and the highest winter heating prices in more…...
2021 Year in Review: Fighting for historic legislation, beating back millions in higher rates
Amid an ongoing pandemic and skyrocketing energy prices, CUB in 2021 sued a scandal-plagued utility, beat back millions of dollars in rate hikes and helped pass historic energy legislation. “I am proud of how our staff battled through yet another difficult year, but consumers deserve the credit,” CUB Executive David…...
Updates on CUB’s fight to rein in alternative suppliers behaving badly
When CUB helped pass historic consumer protections against alternative supplier rip-offs, the watchdog made it clear that the hard work was just beginning. “We look forward to working with the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) and Attorney General (Kwame) Raoul to help enforce these new rules and build a better market…...
Washington Post: Nearly 1% of all Illinois residences were cut off for nonpayment in October 2020
In a special report from Peoria, Washington Post reporter Greg Jaffe uncovered grim statistics about shut-offs in that Central Illinois city. It indicates, as one researcher said, that our social safety net is in “grave need of repair.” Jaffe reports: As the pandemic dragged on month after month, hundreds struggled…...
Consumer Coalition launches campaign to eliminate gas utility surcharge
A coalition of consumer, environmental, and community advocates along with legislative champions have announced legislation to end a gas utility surcharge contributing to higher heating bills across the state. (Take action against this surcharge!) The coalition, which includes CUB, pointed to numerous examples of rapidly rising bills from one end…...
Gov. Pritzker calls for energy legislation to put gas surcharge on the chopping block
CUB has long called on Springfield to end a special surcharge that allows natural gas utilities to quickly raise customer bills to pay for infrastructure developments. This time, Springfield gave us some good news. In a 13-page document released last week, Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office outlined eight principles that will…...
They’re getting richer: the ongoing battle against high utility bills
Crain’s Chicago Business reports that in the first quarter of the year—a relatively warm winter—Peoples Gas still made a record $97.6 million. That’s after two straight years of record annual profits. “It wasn’t long ago when Peoples’ profit over an entire year wouldn’t approach the nearly $100 million it collected…...
