Nicor Gas’ rate-hike request would be reduced by 63 percent, including a $6 decrease in the monthly customer charge, under a settlement negotiated by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul. The settlement, which was announced Sept. 9, still requires Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) approval. Here are some details on its provisions:…...
CUB urges Illinois American Water customers to speak out against rate hike at ICC forum
The Citizens Utility Board (CUB) urges Illinois American Water customers to speak out against the utility’s push for a $129 million rate hike at a public forum scheduled by the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) for Sept. 16 in Bolingbrook. (Read a pdf version of this release.) This is the second…...
CUB urges North Shore Gas customers to speak out as watchdog finds millions in overcharges in proposed rate hike
North Shore Gas’ proposed $14.4 million rate hike includes padded profit margins, excessive executive bonuses and overstated cost estimates and should be cut by about 55 percent, at least, the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) said Thursday. (Read CUB’s news release.) CUB has filed expert testimony with the Illinois Commerce Commission…...
CUB statement on Aqua Illinois’ proposed $26.5 million rate hike
Citizens Utility Board (CUB) Executive Director Sarah Moskowitz released a statement Monday about Aqua Illinois’ $26.5 million rate-hike request before the Illinois Commerce Commission: At a time when Illinois consumers are already burdened with rising costs for all utilities, Aqua Illinois’ proposed rate hike would increase bills by an average…...
ComEd ($234 million), Ameren ($65 million) push for extra ‘reconciliation’ delivery rate hikes
As millions of Illinois consumers face spiking electricity supply prices this year, Commonwealth Edison and Ameren Illinois are pushing to increase another part of our power bills, delivery charges, by a total of $299 million. The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) has already approved four-year rate plans (through 2027) for both…...
CUB expert testimony uncovers $50+ million in overcharges in Illinois American Water’s rate-hike proposal
As it attempts to dominate the state’s private water landscape through an aggressive acquisition strategy, Illinois American Water is pushing a rate hike that would overcharge customers by at least $54 million–including an exorbitant profit rate for shareholders and executive bonuses, according to expert testimony filed by the Citizens Utility…...
Op-Ed: Illinois AG’s bill credits a bit of good news–but Peoples Gas fight far from over
By Sarah Moskowitz, CUB Executive Director After years of hearing from so many Chicago families fed up with their escalating heating bills, we were happy that Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul was able to deliver some good news to long-suffering Peoples Gas customers—in the form of bill credits coming their…...
Consumer and environmental advocates: Expert testimony reveals Nicor’s push to hit customers with massive overcharges
Nicor Gas’ push for a sixth rate hike in less than a decade — and its second in as many years — threatens customers with massive overcharges to cover wasteful spending, lucrative executive bonuses and an exorbitant profit rate, according to expert testimony from consumer advocates. Combining findings from other…...
News release: Consumer advocates file expert testimony urging state regulators to reject Peoples Gas rate-hike proposal
CHICAGO – Windfall bonuses for corporate executives, inflated profit margins, and continued wasteful spending on its failing pipe retirement program are among the litany of unwarranted costs that should be slashed from a proposed $200 million Peoples Gas rate hike, consumer advocates say. (Read the Wednesday, May 6 release from CUB…...
Enough is enough: Consumers rally to protest Peoples Gas’ record-high rates, record profits, and new push for $202 million rate hike
Fed-up Peoples Gas customers and consumer advocates gathered in Chicago’s Daley Plaza Wednesday to decry a push by Peoples Gas to again capture record profits and raise bills by $202 million only a few years after burdening customers with the biggest gas rate hike in Illinois history. (Read a pdf…...
