CUB Energy Saver, our free online service that helps people cut their utility bills, has a new look designed to make our pocketbo0ks happy. Ale Lopez is already there. The Hanover Park woman credits the free tool with helping her save $528 a year. “Without a doubt, I think that CUB Energy Saver…...
Act now to avoid skyrocketing electric prices
We’ve been updating you on two developments that could have disastrous consequences for your power bills. Now’s the time to act to protect YOUR interests. ComEd customers: Tell Congress to fix a terrible court ruling that could increase your rates by 20% A recent federal court ruling stripped power grid operator PJM (the…...
An expensive court decision for ComEd customers
We told you last week about an Appellate Court decision that could increase future ComEd power prices by 20 percent! It all revolves around energy efficiency programs known as “Demand Response”– aka”negawatts.” That’s when the manager of the power grid, an organization called PJM, pays huge industrial customers to shift…...
Updates to Chicago Power Calculator
CUB is hosting a news conference today to announce updates to the Chicago Power Deal Calculator in time for changing October electric rates. CUB launched the calculator this summer to help Chicago residents decide if they are better off staying with the City’s municipal aggregation deal with Integrys Energy Services or switching to…...
Enrollment starts for ComEd’s Peak Time Savings
If you’ve heard the phrase “smart meter” being tossed around a lot lately, you may be wondering what all the hullabaloo is about. One of the exciting things about ComEd’s upgrades to the power grid is the potential for consumers to take advantage of unique money-saving pricing programs like Peak Time…...
Dynegy’s plans could be bad news for Ameren power bills
The northern Illinois power market hasn’t been working too well for consumers these days. Now a major electricity generator in the state wants to impose the same type of market on Central and Southern Illinois–and that would be bad news for Ameren electric customers. How different is the power market…...
A $580 million hit on our pocketbooks
Illinois consumers complain all the time about the power markets not working for them. For months now, we’ve also been hearing complaints from Exelon, the parent company of ComEd. Despite making $21 billion in profits over the last decade, Exelon says it needs help from ratepayers to boost revenue at its…...
AG, CUB announce $46 million in refunds for ComEd customers
Good news today, for ComEd customers! Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s office and CUB have secured $46.2 million in refunds for consumers, after ComEd agreed to a settlement. The refund is connected to legal disputes that go as far back as a ComEd rate-hike request in 2007. The refunds will…...
Dolton’s high electricity rates, and 3 questions you should ask about your own town’s power deal
Dolton residents have been paying the highest electric rates in Illinois the last few months, thanks to the community’s “municipal aggregation” deal. Aggregation–when local leaders negotiate power prices with alternative suppliers on behalf of a community’s residents–was once a sure bet. Some communities secured a price that was nearly 50…...
