This week marks the beginning of our statewide Consumer Campaign. All month, we’ll be asking Illinois consumers to stand with our tiny legal team and fight billions of dollars in rate-hike battles.
But first we want to get your opinion on what battle is most important to you. Vote here by midnight Sunday, and you’ll be entered in a giveaway to win $100 off your next utility bills, and two super-efficient LED bulbs.
Here are the battles we face this summer:
Battle: ComEd wants a $138 million rate hike.
Status: The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) will rule on ComEd’s proposed increase in December, and CUB’s legal team is busy building a case against it.
Battle: Ameren is proposing a $14 million electric rate cut under its “formula rates.” (The formula rates are paying for high-tech power grid upgrades. Ameren’s proposed cut means the revenue it is gaining has caught up with the cost of the upgrades.)
Status: CUB’s legal team is analyzing Ameren’s proposal to see if it can secure a bigger decrease. A decision is due in December.
Battle: Illinois American Water wants a $43 million rate hike.
Status: CUB filed expert testimony arguing that the rate hike should be cut by 60 percent. The ICC will rule on the case in December.
Battle: Peoples Gas pipe-replacement project has $4 billion in projected cost overruns.
Status: Attorney General Lisa Madigan and CUB recently helped secure a $10 million refund in a related case. The job now is to improve the program to prevent cost overruns, and fight for refunds on any unnecessary or wasteful spending.
Please, tell us what YOU think is the biggest battle we face. We want 100 percent participation. Vote now!
