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Utilities stand in the way of money-saving pricing plans

20150415_ToU_enewsIf there was a program that could reduce demand on the power grid AND lower your electric bills AND cut harmful pollution, you would think that was a pretty good plan, right?

The big electric companies disagree.

CUB recently asked state regulators to explore the idea of ComEd and Ameren offering an optional “Time-of-Use” (TOU) power-pricing plan.

TOU pricing gives customers the option of choosing an electricity plan that offers different rates for different times of day, taking advantage of the natural fluctuations of electricity prices throughout the day.  (Traditional rates lock customers onto a “flat” price that stays the same no matter what the time of day is.)

With TOU pricing, people can lower their power bills by running certain appliances at “off-peak” times when electricity demand is lower and power prices are cheapest (early morning, late evening). Cutting energy use at high-demand times (the afternoon) lowers electricity market prices for everyone and offsets the need for expensive, polluting power plants.

But ComEd and Ameren recently filed motions to dismiss our proposal to the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC).

Don’t let the electric companies stand in the way of progress.  In honor of Earth Day, ask the ICC to stand up for Illinois consumers and Time-of-Use pricing.