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CUB Q&A: Illinois and spiking natural gas prices

The extreme winter weather that hit the nation February 14-15 has led to some Illinois consumers paying high natural gas prices. In issuing a disaster proclamation for all 102 Illinois counties in the wake of the snow and subzero temperatures, Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s administration sounded the alarm a few weeks ago:…...

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What Illinois can learn from the Texas power disaster 

Texas’ power collapse in the wake of record-setting cold left millions of people suffering without electricity. And millions more are left with big questions about how such a tragedy could happen. A disaster like this should spark thoughtful discussion in Illinois and across the country of what we can do…...

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CUB releases tips in wake of governor’s disaster declaration

Dangerously low temperatures and up to a foot of snow prompted  Gov. J.B. Pritzker to issue a disaster proclamation for all 102 counties and warn Illinois consumers about the possibility of “soaring utility bills.” . “The sub-zero temperatures are resulting in increased demand and decreased supply, causing natural gas prices…...

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News from CUB: Updated LIHEAP fact sheet provides key steps to getting help to pay your utility bills during pandemic

Amid the worst public health and economic crisis in Illinois history, CUB is spreading the word about how families can get help paying their utility bills.  Check out these resources: Our newly updated fact sheet, Energy Assistance: Questions and Answers. Our infographic on the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP),…...

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ComEd and Ameren customers: Your new electric rates for 2021

Ameren and ComEd have new electric delivery and supply rates as of Jan. 1. CUB breaks it down. Delivery Rates What are delivery rates?  Electric bills have two parts: delivery and supply. All of us pay delivery rates to cover the utilities’ costs of sending electricity over their wires to…...

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Mysterious group tries to derail clean energy legislation in Illinois

A mysterious dark money group has reportedly spent more than $250,000 on social media and TV advertising designed to hurt efforts to pass strong clean energy legislation in Illinois, according to research by Capitol Fax and the Clean Jobs Coalition, of which CUB is a member. The shadowy group deceptively calls itself…...

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Q&A on the ComEd and Ameren Formula Rates for 2021 

What happened?  On Wednesday, Dec. 9, the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) approved delivery rate cuts for Ameren Illinois and ComEd customers. The ICC voted to give ComEd a delivery rate decrease of about $14 million.  The state regulatory body OK’d a decrease of about $48.7 million for Ameren. The lower…...

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Update: What’s Going On with Net Metering for Ameren Solar Customers?

UPDATE: The Illinois Commerce Commission sided with CUB and state solar advocates in a Dec. 2 ruling, asserting that Ameren’s calculations ended retail-rate net metering for solar customers too soon. Ameren will now return to retail-rate net metering and provide retroactive credits to any customers who might have been affected…...

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Deadline Monday, Nov. 23: Does Facebook owe you money?

We want to make sure you were aware of a major settlement in a class-action lawsuit against Facebook. It means that certain Illinois Facebook users could be in for a cash payout of several hundred dollars. BUT the deadline for filing a claim is this Monday, Nov. 23. Read our…...

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Federal stats: IL has lowest average electric bills in Midwest for 8th straight year

Recently released federal statistics show that for the eighth straight year Illinois has the lowest average residential electric bills in the Midwest. And in 2019, we had the fourth lowest bills in the nation. That’s encouraging, but there’s a lot of work left to do in order to secure clean,…...

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