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City inks new electric deal as customers brace for higher summer bills

After an absolutely lousy winter of high utility bills, consumers over the weekend got hit with headlines like this: “Chicago electric bills to rise up to 18% in June…” But here’s the silver lining: While electric rates are going up 14 to 18 percent under a new deal the City of…...

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Get ready for more cold

Temperatures are expected to drop AGAIN this week. (Anyone else reminded of the movie Groundhog Day?)  Wednesday might see lows between 0 and -10 degrees with a wind chill of -20 degrees to -30 degrees! The cold spike is expected to have some nasty consequences for your gas bill. Nicor’s…...

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Gas Rates Skyrocket

The idea behind “Choices for You”—the program allowing Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas customers to choose an alternative company to supply their natural gas–is that you can shop around for the best gas price. But the history of gas choice in northern Illinois has been riddled with bad deals and…...

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Energy Reports: Helpful or Headache?

Not too long ago, CUB began noticing an uptick in complaints about periodic “energy reports” being sent to consumers from the utility companies.  The reports give consumers information about their home’s natural gas and electricity usage, include tips on making homes energy efficient, and compare energy usage to neighbors. While the…...

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The ups and downs of Ameren rates, 2014

Ameren customers received a $45 million electric rate cut, as they were hit with a $32 million natural gas rate hike. So how does that affect 2014 bills? Both changes—ordered by the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) late last year—impact the delivery part of our bills. That’s what you pay Ameren…...

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5 Things You Need to Know About Your New Electric Meter

ComEd is launching $2.6 billion in upgrades to the power grid over the next decade, and that includes installing new “digital” electric meters, also called “smart meters,” at every home in its territory.  Here’s what you need to know: No. 1: What is a smart meter?  The technology behind our…...

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Take CUB’s Survey: Have you received a utility energy report?

Imagine this: You get a letter from your electric or gas utility that has colorful bar graphs and says something like this, “You used 21% more natural gas than your neighbors. That cost you about $102 extra.” Or maybe, your electricity/gas usage compares favorably to your neighbors and your  energy…...

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Polar vortex price spike? Read all about it!

At about the same time the “polar vortex” slammed Illinois with record cold this month—it also generated some heat from consumers who complained to CUB about an unheard of spike in electricity prices. That’s right, electricity prices. About eight out of 10 Illinois homes heat with natural gas—so what business…...

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Baby, It’s Cold Outside

Just when we thought we were out of the woods, another record-breaking arctic blast has taken the country hostage. We know many of you are dreading your impending utility bills, so before it’s too late, find out how to cut costs and avoid the polar vortex punch. First, join CUB…...

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Say hello to LEDs

New federal efficiency standards marked the death of the traditional incandescent light bulb in 2014. You have three new options for bulbs now: incandescents that meet the new standards (usually made with halogen), compact fluorescent lights (CFL), and light-emitting diodes (LEDs). We’ve made a nifty infographic for you to learn more…...

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