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Alternative suppliers

Anatomy of a Bad Deal

When Robert Smith’s gas bills suddenly shot up, he was confused. He was supposed to be paying less for gas with alternative gas supplier Energy Rewards than with the regulated utility in his area, Nicor. So he sat down to compare what he had been paying with Energy Rewards to…...

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Low supplier rates don’t guarantee big savings

Consumers sometimes enroll with alternative suppliers because the rates appear lower than the regulated utility, but be careful that such plans could have an additional monthly fee. Every week, I update fact sheets listing alternative supplier prices, compared with the the rates of regulated utilities. By my count, about a…...

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Urgent: Fight electric/gas rip-offs in Springfield

Due to events in Springfield, we are making an urgent request to help us fight electric and gas rip-offs. Please send a message to the Illinois House in support of House Amendment 4 to Senate Bill 1531. The amendment would, among other things: Require the utility’s supply price to be…...

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What this millennial learned about alternative electric suppliers

As someone who still lives at home with her parents (for now), I never paid too much attention to electric bills…until I came to CUB. My name is Jennifer, CUB’s new Communications Assistant and a millennial utility-expert-in-training. I didn’t even know Illinoisans could choose a supplier other than ComEd, but…...

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Shopping for electricity/gas? Become a detail person

We have a database full of people who signed up for what they thought was a good deal from an alternative electric or gas supplier–before they got slammed with an extremely high rate. If you want to shop in the electric or gas markets in Illinois, or if you’re approached…...

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The 5 questions you should ask every time you open your electric or gas bill

CUB staffs more than 400 events a year, which means on average not a day goes by where CUB isn’t somewhere showing someone how to save money. Our utility-bill clinics are great events, but we want to empower consumers to do their own bill analysis. Read our how-to article, “5…...

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Report from Springfield, by Bryan McDaniel, CUB director of governmental affairs

This is one of my busiest times of the year in Springfield. But I wanted to send you a quick note about one piece of pro-consumer legislation we support in the General Assembly’s spring session. Legislation: House Bill 5101, sponsored by Rep. Marcus C. Evans, Jr., of Chicago PROBLEM: *A state…...

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From the Desk of David Kolata: CUB Executive Director’s New Year Report

This report is a thanks and tribute to CUB’s supporters. You are working for a better Illinois, and I’m grateful to you. I know it’s easy to get discouraged these days, but remember that you are part of an Illinois success story. Together, here’s what we accomplished in 2017: Legal/Policy:…...

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Consumer Alert: Does your gas bill have a charge from Nicor Home Solutions?

When’s the last time you carefully looked at your Nicor Gas bill? Is there a charge from Nicor Home Solutions tucked away among all the other charges? If there is, get the facts:  Fact: Nicor Home Solutions is NOT Nicor Gas, the regulated utility. Nicor Home Solutions is an unregulated affiliate…...

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‘We have a moral imperative to act’

By Bryan McDaniel CUB Director of Governmental Affairs I want to share my experience at a recent CUB utility bill clinic. It underscores why we’re so grateful for your support against rip offs and more than $8 billion in higher rates: When I’m not in Springfield working for pro-consumer legislation,…...

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