Illinois regulators this week will consider some of the strongest COVID-19 utility consumer protections in the country. Developed through weeks of discussion among consumer advocates and major utilities, this plan could serve as a national model to help utility customers struggling to pay their bills during the economic crisis. But…...
In spite of the novel Coronavirus putting our lives on hold, CUB’s legal team is continuing the fight for utility customer rights and lower rates. General Counsel Julie Soderna and new Senior Attorney Eric DeBellis are currently working on about 15 cases. Here are a few highlights. Coronavirus Response In…...
We thank state regulators for their pro-consumer actions today. These are uncertain times, and the last thing consumers need is to have their utility service interrupted, or to have their health threatened by alternative supplier sales representatives knocking on their doors. As this public health crisis unfolds, we need to…...
What happened? The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) announced in July that Peoples Gas has agreed to give about $7.2 million back to its customers. Why is Peoples Gas giving money back to consumers? It’s connected to a review of 2015 costs of the utility’s troubled pipeline-replacement program, called the System…...
The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) has brought four cases against alternative electric suppliers for allegedly violating marketing-related rules. CUB has gotten involved in the cases to make sure consumers’ voices are heard. Buried in the legal language are stories from consumers alleging outrageous behavior from some alternative suppliers. Here’s a…...
Mismanaged pipeline program Last winter, Peoples customers paid about 80 percent more for service than Nicor Gas customers—and a big reason is the pipe program, which aims to replace 2,000 miles of aging gas mains. A state-ordered 2015 audit uncovered rampant mismanagement. Since then, the projected price tag for the program has quadrupled to up to $11…...
Nicor’s record-breaking $230M hike In November, just months after receiving a $93.5 million delivery increase, Nicor Gas was back at the ICC, asking for a $230 million rate hike. “This is the largest natural gas rate-hike request CUB has seen in 35 years of fighting for Illinois consumers, and it’s fueled by a massive profit rate…...
CUB warns consumers that enrolling with an alternative supplier could lead to paying higher electric and gas bills. In fact, losses at the hands of electric suppliers reached a record high of $227.6 million over the past year, according to the 2018 annual report of the Illinois Commerce Commission’s Office…...
