CUB held news conferences across Illinois today to release a report that holds both good news and bad news for Illinois consumers. First the bad news: The Federal Energy Information Administration (EIA) recently released state fact sheets that indicate Illinois is one of the biggest household energy users in the…...
CUB’s Consumer Advocacy Team: Meet the CUB crew fighting for you!
Each year, CUB’s Consumer Advocacy Department handles nearly 10,000 calls, emails and letters from Illinoisans with questions or complaints about utility service. The team has saved individuals thousands of dollars by identifying errors on electric, gas and phone bills. Consumer Advocacy Director Sandra Marcelin-Reme said a lot of problems stem from…...
Energy Smart Month Quiz winner excited to get LEDs
Tim Farmer, an IT consultant from Carol Stream, won the first week’s prize in CUB’s Energy Smart Month Giveaway—four LED light bulbs with a money-saving potential of up to $400. His name was randomly chosen from more than 300 people who took a one-question quiz: “Appliances, electronics and lighting account for…...
Good news in 6-year legal battle: Appellate Court upholds $36.7 million ComEd refund
In reporting our latest good news—the Illinois Appellate Court upheld a $36.7 million refund for ComEd customers—Crain’s Chicago Business wrote: “The wheels of utility-rate justice turn slowly.” True, being a good consumer advocate means never giving up. The ruling made public this week comes after a six-year legal fight waged by…...
Shouldn’t you be able to ‘unlock’ a cellphone that YOU own?
Love your smartphone but not your wireless carrier? You might be out of luck. Last October, the Library of Congress adjusted its interpretation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). The result is it’s now illegal for customers to “unlock” smartphones without first getting their carrier’s permission—even if they own…...
It’s a new electricity market in Illinois
Even as consumers flocked to alternative electricity suppliers to take advantage of prices that were sometimes 50 percent lower than the traditional utilities, CUB warned that this was just the honeymoon phase for the state’s power market. Now it appears that the honeymoon is over. Crain’s Chicago Business reports that…...
How do Illinois consumers feel about smart meters?
As ComEd and Ameren begin the enormous task of installing nearly 5 million digital smart meters across the state over the next decade, we polled more than 1,000 weekly e-newsletter subscribers to get their thoughts on the new technology. We also invited consumers to submit their comments and questions about digital smart meters. Find…...
CUB hits the highway to help consumers save
CUB’s outreach department is no stranger to Illinois highways, logging thousands of miles every year up and down I-55, I-57, I-80 and everywhere in between to spread the word about saving money on utility bills. Headed by Outreach Director Sarah Moskowitz, the department is made up of Environmental Outreach Coordinator…...
