Illinois coal plant owner Dynegy wants Ameren to join an East Coast power grid that could increase YOUR electricity rates—by $300 million. We blogged about this worrisome proposal last week, and now we want to hear what you have to say. In case you missed it, here’s some background on the situation: Dynegy…...
Updates to Chicago Power Calculator
CUB is hosting a news conference today to announce updates to the Chicago Power Deal Calculator in time for changing October electric rates. CUB launched the calculator this summer to help Chicago residents decide if they are better off staying with the City’s municipal aggregation deal with Integrys Energy Services or switching to…...
Enrollment starts for ComEd’s Peak Time Savings
If you’ve heard the phrase “smart meter” being tossed around a lot lately, you may be wondering what all the hullabaloo is about. One of the exciting things about ComEd’s upgrades to the power grid is the potential for consumers to take advantage of unique money-saving pricing programs like Peak Time…...
Dynegy’s plans could be bad news for Ameren power bills
The northern Illinois power market hasn’t been working too well for consumers these days. Now a major electricity generator in the state wants to impose the same type of market on Central and Southern Illinois–and that would be bad news for Ameren electric customers. How different is the power market…...
What is your gas utility charging in October?
Last winter’s polar vortex blast sparked a jump in Illinois natural gas prices that ranged from 9-80 percent. Now, about a half-year later, the gas prices are finally coming down to more normal levels–just as another winter approaches. We’ll keep an eye on the weather reports–it looks like it might not be as…...
A $580 million hit on our pocketbooks
Illinois consumers complain all the time about the power markets not working for them. For months now, we’ve also been hearing complaints from Exelon, the parent company of ComEd. Despite making $21 billion in profits over the last decade, Exelon says it needs help from ratepayers to boost revenue at its…...
5 things Ameren customers should know
To mark the opening of our new CUB office in Hillsboro, Outreach Coordinator Rajiv Ravulapati is touring Central and Southern Illinois to tell Ameren customers the five things they should know as we enter the winter heating season. 1) Rates are going DOWN. Ameren customers may be bracing for big bills,…...
