By Sagar Dommaraju Take CUB’s quick poll and you could be randomly selected to win a free smart thermostat, valued at up to $250. CUB will pick a winner at midnight Sunday, July 31. If you take the poll, we’ll also send you information on smart thermostat rebates (up to…...
Give yourself (and your power bill) a relaxing Fourth of July
By Sagar Dommaraju What better holiday than Independence Day to free yourself from high electricity costs. Follow these tips for the perfect Fourth of July weekend. First, take a holiday from the daily bustle and leave your electronics—computers, TVs, phones, printers—alone for the weekend. Make sure to unplug them completely…...
Lessons from my summers in India: Staying cool without breaking the bank
By: Sagar Dommaraju Illinois summers are hot—but they’re nothing compared to the ones I experience when I visit relatives in southern India. Temperatures there easily top 100 degrees, cooling rains rarely fall, and—if you live in a rural village—air conditioning is unavailable at certain peak electricity times. But those stifling…...
Breaking: Net neutrality upheld in federal court
Consumer advocates are celebrating a major victory today. Net neutrality was upheld in federal court. The Washington Post reports (Cable and telecom companies just lost a huge court battle on net neutrality): By a 2-1 vote Tuesday, a federal appeals court upheld a series of strict new rules for Internet providers,…...
Help Julie and Christie fight rate hikes!
CUB has launched its annual consumer campaign in June to rally Illinoisans against billions of dollars in rate hikes. We hope every community in Illinois signs our Rate-hike Fighters Petition. Take a look at the rate-hike battles CUB General Counsel Julie Soderna and Senior Attorney Christie R. Hicks are juggling before…...
ICC approves $10 million refund for Peoples Gas customers!
It’s official. The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) has approved an $18.5 million settlement that WEC Energy reached with Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s Office and CUB. The settlement calls for a $10 million refund for Peoples Gas customers. Yes! CUB said in a statement: We thank the ICC, led by…...