UPDATE: Good news from the Fall Veto Session. It was reported on Oct. 25 that Ameren, for now, has thrown in the towel on its attempt to override Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s veto of a bill that would have given it a monopoly on building billions of dollars in transmission lines.…...
ICC stats: IL consumers have lost $1.6B with alternative suppliers since 2015, but Ameren customers saved last year
Illinois consumers have lost about $1.6 billion total to alternative suppliers since 2015–but Ameren customers, for a change, saw some savings last year, according to a review of annual reports from the Illinois Commerce Commission’s Office of Retail Market Development (ORMD). Under Illinois law, ComEd, Ameren and MidAmerican customers are…...
CUB review: Most municipal aggregation offers saving money, but changes on horizon
Out of 485 active community power (“municipal aggregation”) offers, about 300 (62 percent) beat or at least matched the utilities’ summer supply rates, according to a CUB review of plans. But more than half (183) of those offers expire over the next year–many of them this December. This comparison covers…...
CUB asks Illinois consumers to support the Ethics in Energy Act
It’s bad enough that utilities join industry and trade groups that push bad, anti-consumer policy. But it’s even worse that consumers actually foot the bill for those activities. That’s right, our monthly gas and electric bills help cover the utilities’ membership dues to groups that actively work against our interests. …...
Summer power prices for Ameren and ComEd
Ameren Illinois and ComEd supply customers will be paying new prices for electricity on June 1, as market prices ease. Prices skyrocketed last year, caused by a number of factors, including the volatility of the natural gas market, made worse by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Gas, which is often…...
Demand response: a win for you, the environment, and the grid
Demand response programs are opportunities for consumers to take an active role in lowering their electric bills, reducing stress on the electric grid, and cutting pollution. Sounds like a good deal. But what are “demand response” programs? At their core, all demand response programs incentivize consumers to shift their electricity…...
You’re a community solar customer in Ameren territory? Here’s what’s happening to your bills
By: Marina Minic Solar Programs Coordinator Community solar customers in Ameren territory have seen “bill adjustments.” CUB can explain: If you’re subscribed to community solar, you get a credit on your Ameren bill that corresponds to the amount of solar energy your subscription produced. That credit shows up as a…...
New electric rates for ComEd and Ameren customers in 2023
As of Jan. 1, ComEd and Ameren are charging new electricity rates. Here’s our breakdown: DELIVERY RATES What are delivery rates? Electric bills have two parts: delivery and supply. All of us pay delivery rates to cover the utilities’ costs of sending electricity over their wires to our homes–plus a…...
Consumer alert: CUB releases tips on surviving expensive winter
With consumers facing higher heating bills this winter due to skyrocketing natural gas prices and aggressive utility spending, CUB released tips to help consumers get through an expensive winter. The watchdog has set up a special online resource, CUBHelpCenter.com, which explains why gas bills are high and offers safety and…...
