Over 30 years of consumer advocacy, CUB has heard a lot of misinformation about utility service–yep, some real doozies! As winter approaches, here’s our list of the top 5 myths about your gas bill. Myth No. 1: There’s nothing you can do to cut your energy bills. CUB’s free online tool,…...
Good news for Ameren natural gas customers?
Ameren is predicting its customers will see lower natural gas prices this winter—but that doesn’t guarantee they’ll see lower bills. The utility says it expects prices to hover between 53 and 55 cents per therm, down about 5 percent from the prices customers paid last winter. But Ameren cautioned that lower prices don’t guarantee…...
CUB Analysis: Up To $37 Million Per Year In Potential EE Savings
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…...
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…...
The quest for a smarter power grid begins today
Today, Illinois’ biggest electric utility will begin installing digital “smart meters” in Chicago’s western suburbs, launching an ambitious plan to give 4 million customers new meters by 2021. These new meters, built in a plant on the city’s South side, are a symbol of high-tech upgrades, collectively called the “smart grid,”…...
What’s happening to your electric bill June 1?
[youtube=https://youtu.be/t6uNiKAy7cs]If you pay ComEd or Ameren for electricity supply, there’s good news: The price you pay for power will drop on June 1! ComEd’s electricity price will fall from approximately 8.3 cents per kWh to about 5.5 cents per kWh this June through September. Ameren customers will see their price dip…...
