Right now, a bill sailing through the General Assembly would lock in yearly, automatic electric rate hikes for two more years–through 2019. And CUB says: Not so fast! The increases, made possible by the General Assembly’s “smart grid law” in 2011, are to pay for new digital electric meters and…...
Bracing for winter? CUB is!
At CUB we’re preparing for another busy winter. Are you ready? In the first half of 2014, CUB’s crew handled 2,507 complaints/inquiries from gas and electric customers reeling from polar vortex price spikes. That’s a 79 percent increase from the previous year. Despite this week’s burst of winter, the cold season isn’t…...
Special Report: Is your community power deal still best for you?
Once, municipal aggregation—when community leaders negotiate power prices on behalf of residents–was a sure bet for electricity savings. Not any more. “Although it’s still possible to save money with electric competition, the era of easy savings is over in Illinois,” CUB Executive Director David Kolata says in CUB’s special report today. Kolata advises consumers…...
Enrollment for Peak Time Savings is Quick and Easy
CUB Director of Governmental Affairs Bryan McDaniel walked us through how to sign up for Peak Time Savings (PTS). PTS is a free program for ComEd customers with digital smart meters that credits customers for reducing electricity usage on certain high-demand summer days. Enrollment is quick and painless. Take a…...
As possible Springfield battle looms, Crain’s analysis finds Exelon nukes profitable
There’s an interesting published report on the health of ComEd-parent Exelon’s nuclear power plants as consumer advocates prepare for a possible battle with the energy giant. Exelon has claimed that its fleet of six nuclear power plants in Illinois are struggling and the company has been laying the groundwork for…...
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…...
