CUB in the News - Citizens Utility Board

News Releases

10/14/20 – CUB to Consumers Struggling with Their Bills: Call Your Utility
9/30/20 – CUB Alerts Ameren, ComEd Customers to Change in Power Prices
9/21/20 – CUB Responds to Distortions in WBEZ-FM Report (Supporting statement from former Gov. Pat Quinn)
8/27/20 – CUB Statement on Exelon Announcing Potential Closing of 2 Nuclear Power Plants
8/21/20 – CUB Statement on Gov. Pritzker Restarting Clean Energy Discussions
8/12/20 – Report: Since 2015, IL Customers Have Lost $1 Billion with Alt Suppliers
7/30/20 – CUB Statement on ComEd’s Remarks Before the Chicago City Council

7/29/20 – CUB Analysis: Put Low-Income Communities at Heart of State EV Policy
7/17/20 – CUB Statement on $200 Million ComEd Fine in Federal Lobbying Probe
7/16/20 – CUB alerts Chicago-area consumers about program to make solar more affordable and accessible
6/18/20 – CUB Statement on the ICC approval of COVID-19 utility customer protections
6/11/20 – A model for the nation: consumer advocates announce historic COVID-19 relief plan for Illinois utility customers
6/1/20 – CUB alerts ComEd customers to change in power price
6/1/20 – CUB alerts Ameren Illinois customers to change in power price
5/29/20 – Solarize Chicagoland back for second year of solar education, promotion
4/28/20 – CUB Statement on Proposed Ameren Illinois Electric rate decrease
4/24/20 – Chicago Resolution Calls Out Reckless Spending by Peoples Gas
4/24/20 – New Electric Vehicle Ordinance Makes Chicago National Leader
4/16/20 – CUB statement on proposed ComEd rate decrease

4/13/20 – CUB webinars to share tips on robocalls, cable, electric, solar in IL
4/09/20 – Illinois Regulators OK ‘Time Of Use’ Pilot Program
4/02/20 – CUB Alerts Illinois Utility Customers to Free Services During Crisis
3/18/20 – Statement by CUB Executive Director David Kolata on ICC Consumer Protection Measures Amid COVID-19 Crisis
3/16/20 – Statement by CUB Executive Director David Kolata: How CUB is Serving Illinois Consumers During Public Health Crisis
3/11/20 – Mayor, City Leaders Call on IL Lawmakers To Reign In Reckless Gas Utility Spending

3/03/20 – Coalition Urges General Assembly to Reign in Reckless Gas Utility Spending, End Abusive Surcharge on Heating Bills

3/02/20 –Statement by CUB Executive Director David Kolata Alerting Ameren Illinois Customers to Proposed Gas Rate Hike
2/11/20 – EEI, Illinois Citizens Utility Board, National Consumer Law Center, NRDC, and Sierra Club Issue Joint Statement Supporting Electric Transportation

2/10/20 – New CUB Study: Electric Vehicle Drivers Would Enjoy Big Savings with Ameren’s Power Smart Pricing Program

1/29/20 – Statement by CUB Executive Director David Kolata on Governor Pritzker’s State of the State Address
1/21/20 – Illinois Consumers Face Record Increase in Electricity Bills Unless Legislature Blocks New Trump-Backed Fossil-Fuel Bailout
12/19/19 – Statement by CUB Executive Director David Kolata on FERC Ruling
12/16/19 – CUB’s Newest Consumer Guide Tackles Cellphone Bills
11/07/19 – Solarize Chicagoland Surpasses Summer Goals, Will Install 135 Solar Arrays

10/18/19 – CUB Alerts ComEd Customers to Change in Power Price
10/18/19 – CUB Alerts Central and Southern Illinois Consumers of Change to Ameren Power Price
08/27/19 – CUB Statement on Gov. Pritzker Signing HEAT Act
06/17/19 – Celebrating 35 Years, CUB Releases Summer Utility Tips List
06/04/19 – CUB Warns Consumers: Chicago Region Ripe for Electric Rip-Offs This Summer
05/31/19 – Statement from CUB Executive Director David Kolata on Passage of HEAT Act
04/24/19 – City Officials Send Strong Message To Springfield: Peoples Gas Must Be Reined In
04/24/19 – As Concern Grows Over Soaring Chicago Gas Bills, Alderman and Consumer Advocates Urge End to Reckless Peoples Gas Spending
04/04/19 – CUB Testimony: Slash Nicor Rate Hike by $82.5 Million
03/27/19 – Electric Vehicles Could Lower Power Bills for All Illinois Residents, New Study Finds
03/18/19 – Rep. Connor, Citizens Utility Board Urge Support of Bill to Require Referendum Before IL Cities Privatize Water Systems
03/14/19 – Statement from CUB Executive Director David Kolata on Legislation to Reform the Capacity Market
03/07/19 – CUB Releases Free Guide to Help Consumers Reduce Data Costs
02/28/19 – Statement from CUB Executive Director David Kolata on New Legislation: The Clean Energy Jobs Act
02/04/19 – CUB Releases Its First-Ever Guide to Combat Robocalls
12/11/18 – CUB Releases Free Online Guide to Help Illinois Consumers Advocate for Themselves against Big Gas and Electric Companies
12/04/18 – EV Letter to Senate
11/20/18 – AARP, CUB to Host 7 Free Clinics to Cut Chicagoans’ Utility Bills
11/20/18 – New Electricity Pricing Option to Save Illinoisans Money, Cut Pollution
11/14/18 – CUB Statement on Proposed Nicor Gas Rate Hike
10/09/18 – CUB Calls on AT&T to Reinstate Discount for Low-Income Customers
08/28/18 – CUB Issues Consumer Alert on Green Plans Marketed by Alternative Suppliers
08/13/18 – CUB Reaction to Gov. Rauner’s Signing of HB 4508, Bad Water Bill
07/31/18 – CUB Warning: Beware of Electric Rip-Offs
06/25/18 – CUB, Suburban Leaders Urge Gov. Rauner to Veto Bad Water Bill, Say HB 4508 Gives IL American Too Much Power to Impose Rate Hikes
05/29/18 – CUB Alerts Central, Southern Illinois Consumers about June Decrease in Ameren Illinois’ Power Price
05/25/18 – CUB Reminds ComEd Customers of Summer Power Prices

04/16/18 – Statement by CUB Executive Director David Kolata on ComEd Rate Cut

04/03/18 – In Wake of Historic Consumer Losses in Illinois, Watchdogs Call for Major Market Reforms to Fight Electric/Gas Rip-offs

02/21/18 – Statement by CUB Executive Director David Kolata on Refund for Peoples Gas Customers
02/16/18 – Statement by CUB Executive Director David Kolata Alerting Ameren Illinois Customers to Proposed Gas Rate Hike

02/01/18 – CUB Statement on Nicor Gas Rate Hike

11/14/17 – New Smart Meter Data Shows Potential of Real-Time Pricing to Lower Electric Bills

10/10/17 – Statement By CUB Executive Director David Kolata On Clean Power Plan Roll Back

9/12/17 – Statement By CUB Executive Director David Kolata On New Consumer Protections For IL Electric Customers

7/21/17 – New State Report Shows Need For Consumer Protections: Northern IL Residents With Alternative Suppliers Have Lost $340 M Over Last 3 Years

7/01/17 – Statement By CUB Executive Director David Kolata On AT&T Legislation

6/30/17 – Statement By CUB Executive Director David Kolata On Veto Of SB 1839

6/30/17 – CUB Fights for 41% Cut in Nicor Gas Rate

6/15/17 – CUB Alerts Central, Southern Illinois Consumers About Summer Power Prices

6/6/17 – CUB Alerts ComEd Customers About Summer Power Prices

6/5/17 – Statement By CUB Executive Director David Kolata On ICC Passage Of New Consumer Protections For Electric Customers

6/1/17 – CUB Statement on AT&T Deregulation Legislation

5/25/17 – Top Watchdog Urges Illinois House to Fix AT&T Legislation

4/27/17 – CUB Marks Earth Month With First-ever Electric Vehicle Report

4/19/17 – Watchdogs Warn Legislation Could Strip AT&T’s Most Vulnerable Customers of Affordable, Reliable Phone Service

4/14/17 – Statement by CUB Executive Director David Kolata on ComEd Rate Hike

3/24/17 – Illinois Kicks Off Ambitious Utility of the Future Process

3/23/17 – Statement by CUB Executive Director David Kolata On $17 Million ComEd Rate Cut

3/13/17 – CUB Statement on Proposed Nicor Gas Rate Hike

3/1/17 – Statement By CUB Executive Director David Kolata On ICC’s Vote To Continue Investigation Of Peoples Gas Pipe Program

2/24/17 – Peak Time Rewards Program Has March 1 Sign-up Deadline, CUB Endorses Ameren Illinois Program As ‘Good For Our Power Bills’

2/17/17 – New Illinois Data-Sharing Program to Spur Clean Energy Solutions, Cost Savings

2/16/17 – CUB To Northwest Suburbs: Beware Of Bad Electric Deals

2/9/17 – CUB Launches Online Center To Help Chicago-Area Consumers Avoid Rip-Offs From Unregulated Natural Gas Suppliers

2/3/17 – Statement By CUB Executive Director David Kolata: FERC Victory Good News for Central, Southern IL

1/25/17- CUB Statement on Illinois American Rate Case Decision
1/25/17 – Statement By CUB Executive Director David Kolata: Proposed Order In Ameren Case A Step Forward For Energy Efficiency

12/13/16 – CUB Offers First-Ever Guide to Help Pay-TV Customers Save Money, as IL Polls Show Strong Backing for Industry Reforms, Cheaper TV Options

12/6/16 – CUB Statement on ComEd Rate Cases

12/6/16 – CUB Statement on Ameren Rate Case Decision
9/27/16 – Statement From CUB Executive Director David Kolata On ICC Passage of New Consumer Protections for Electric Customers
9/12/16 – CUB alerts Morton Grove Residents of 2nd ComEd Rate Option
8/22/16 – Statement From CUB Executive Director David Kolata On Successful Launch of Ameren Illinois Peak Time Rewards Program
8/18/16 – AT&T offers $10/month for high-speed Internet for low-income families
8/12/16 – CUB: Proposed Ameren Illinois Rate Cut Should Be Double
6/20/16 – CUB Urges Chicago Residents To Stay Safe, Cool During Dangerous Heat
6/14/16 – Aurora On Schedule to Get New Meters
6/2/16 – Statement by CUB Executive Director David Kolata On Exelon Announcement Regarding Illinois Nuclear Plants
6/1/16 – CUB Alerts Central, Southern IL Consumers About June 1 Power Prices
6/1/16 – CUB Alerts ComEd Customers About Lower Power Prices
5/25/16 – Statement by CUB Executive Director David Kolata on ICC Approval of $10 Million Refund for Peoples Gas Customers
5/23/16 – CUB: Expert Testimony Shows Water Rate-hike Request Should Be Slashed
5/10/16 – Statement by CUB Executive Director David Kolata on $10 Million Refund for Peoples Gas Customers
5/5/16 – Statement by CUB Executive Director David Kolata on Exelon/ComEd Legislation
5/5/16 – Consumer Victory: Complaint by AG Madigan, CUB Results in Settlement That Would End Unregulated Nicor Affiliates From Using Utility Name/ Logo
4/20/16 – CUB Statement on Two Developments Concerning Ameren Electric Bills
4/13/16 – Statement by CUB Executive Director David Kolata on ComEd Rate Hike
3/29/16 – Statement By Citizens Utility Board (CUB) Executive Director David Kolata On ICC Ruling To Help IL Consumers Gain Easy Access to New Money-Saving Tech
3/21/16 – ComEd to Launch Unprecedented Environmental Measurement Tool
2/26/16 – Citizens Utility Board Warns Nicor Gas Customers in Rockford; Shopping in the Gas Market is a Gamble
2/24/16 – Attorney General, CUB Push for Nicor Gas Rate Cut of Up to $52 Million, as a Condition of Southern Acquisition
2/5/16 – Statement By Citizens Utility Board (CUB) Executive Director David Kolata On Document Showing Peoples Gas Misled ICC Or Withheld Key Information From Agency
1/25/16 – Statement By CUB Executive Director David Kolata On Today’s Supreme Court Victory For Electric Customers
1/18/16 – CUB petition drive urges FERC to order refunds for Central, Southern IL
1/5/16 – Statement By CUB Executive Director David Kolata On Victory In FERC Complaint About Power Price Spike In Central, Southern Illinois

CUB in the News

10/16/20 – Power suppliers could soon be knocking on your door again. Here’s why.
06/03/20 – Peoples blows away record with first-quarter profit growth
04/01/20 – Peoples Gas shatters earnings record it set the year before
02/28/20 – Look who wants in on ComEd’s rate-setting mojo
01/30/20 – Facebook agrees to pay $550 million to Illinois users
09/16/19 – Report: Energy Efficiency leads Ill. job growth, outpaces nationwide growth
08/14/2019 – A utility scorned? Nicor erupts over proposed ‘lowball’ rate hike
05/28/2019 – State crackdown on energy suppliers on verge of becoming law
05/21/2019 – Chicagoans paid a 67 percent premium for heat last winter
05/10/2019 – Proposed $1,000 Illinois electric vehicle fee called unfair by EV owners and manufacturers
05/01/2019 – Nicor trims record-setting rate hike request
04/26/2019 – Editorial: Going green in Illinois doesn’t have to hit us hard in the wallet
04/05/2019 – Peoples Gas spending inflates parent’s profit
02/27/2019 – Peoples Gas blows the pipeline-replacement budget again
01/04/2019 – Peoples Gas parent’s Illinois spending plans surpass $3 billion
11/30/18 – 1 in 10 Chicago households threatened with gas cutoffs this year
11/21/18 – Chicago households could pay much more for heat this winter
11/15/18 – Controversial law easing privatization of water hits a snag
11/01/18 – Peoples Gas suddenly is extraordinarily generous with campaign contributions
10/26/18 – Get ready to rumble again over nukes and coal, Illinois
10/19/18 – AT&T ends monthly federal subsidy for low-income landline customers
10/5/18 – Inside the lives of the folks knocking on your door to sell you power
10/3/18 – Fewer Chicagoans are buying above-market gas from suppliers as heating bills rise
09/25/18 – ComEd’s energy price was supposed to rise next month. Now it will fall. Here’s why.
09/14/18 – As heating bills rise, Peoples Gas comes in last in customer-satisfaction ranking
09/06/18 – Want to know how much you’d be paying if you were still with ComEd? AG pushes utility to tell you monthly.
08/29/18 – CUB warns consumers: Beware green power offers
08/22/18 – The dubious sales pitches of retail power suppliers hit home
07/20/18 – How long before Chicagoans pay twice what suburbanites do for winter heat?
07/03/18 – ComEd, power suppliers agree at last: You have the right to know when you’re overpaying for electricity
4/27/18 – This is what the start of a heating-affordability crisis looks like

3/2/18 – What’s Chicago getting for Peoples Gas’ spending spree? Less for more.

9/28/17 – Nicor dispute with railroad endangers winter heat for 250,000.

7/15/17 – Buying power from an indie? You may be paying too much.

5/31/17 – Power sellers fight state marketing clampdown

5/4/17 – Help Squad: CUB one-on-one analysis results in big utility bill savings

3/1/17 – State orders new probe of massive Peoples Gas project

1/28/17 – The state just made it easier for marketers to sell high-priced heat

1/7/17 – Runaway cost of Peoples’ gas main revamp once alarmed the ICC. Now? Maybe not.

12/14/16 – Utility watchdog offers consumers ways to cut pay-TV bill

12/19/16 – Ditching cable in 2017? What you need to know about streaming TV.

12/14/16 – Utility watchdog offers consumers ways to cut pay-TV bill.