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…...
Hallelujah! Feds expect lower heating bills this winter
By Samantha Vercellino With federal experts predicting natural gas, electricity and propane costs to fall this winter due to above-average temperatures, Midwesterners can sleep a bit easier knowing another polar vortex blast doesn’t seem to be on the horizon. Warmer winter weather and lower fuel consumption means Midwesterners will pay…...
3 things that stink about cellphones
A recent CUB Facebook poll asked people what was most annoying about their cellphones. Guess what aggravation took top honors? 1) High Bills: According to CTIA data, consumers with smartphones–such as an iPhone, Android, or Blackberry–use an average of about 800 MB of data per month. That’s far less than the standard 2…...
Free tool helps Chicagoans make big decision: Stay with Integrys or go back to ComEd
CUB and the City of Chicago today launched a free tool to help Chicagoans decide whether they should stick with the City’s power deal with Integrys Energy Services, or switch back to ComEd. Try the free tool at: www.ChicagoPowerCalculator.com. Chicagoans might be surprised when they open their June power bills. They’ll…...
Municipal aggregation ain’t what it used to be
Want to see just how drastically Illinois’ electric market has changed? Take a look at what’s happening to “municipal aggregation.” Aggregation is where local leaders negotiate power prices with alternative suppliers on behalf of their residents. A few years ago, it was an almost-universally great idea for communities. In fact, in…...
5 surprising things you should know about the June rate hike
As of June 1, ComEd’s electricity rate shot up 38 percent, to about 7.596 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh). And the prices offered by unregulated power suppliers competing against ComEd are going up too. To paraphrase Dorothy: “Toto, I don’t think we’re in the same electricity market anymore.” Whether you’re with…...
