Just when you think it couldn’t get any worse, Ameren drops this bombshell: a $110 million rate-hike request to ostensibly pay for upgrades to the power grid. CUB Executive Director David Kolata had this to say: If done right, Ameren’s power grid improvements have the potential to benefit all its…...
Hey FERC: Investigate the rate hike!
Ameren customers recently received terrible news: Power prices will skyrocket June 1. It’s all because of an exponential increase in capacity costs—what consumers pay to ensure power plants are able to deliver electricity on the highest-demand days of the year. The average household could see electric bills rise by as much as $150 annually…...
Electricity updates: The good, the bad, and the ugly
The last 24 hours have been a whirlwind of electricity-related developments. We’ve got some good news and bad news for Illinois consumers. First, the good. We’ve been saying for years that efficiency pays— and now we have the proof. A CUB analysis released this morning shows that the Illinois Clean Jobs…...
Peoples disaster = Higher gas rates?
The Peoples Gas pipe replacement program is shaping up to be the biggest train wreck of 2015. Projected costs have reportedly doubled—to $4.6 billion—in five years. That could cause our gas rates to double over the next decade! Peoples had previously accelerated its schedule to replace 1,700 miles of aging pipes under the…...
New boost? No way!
Recent survey results reveal that CUB Action Network members aren’t too keen on an Exelon proposal that could increase power bills by $300 million per year. Or, as one feisty member put it: “They are already ripping off the public with high rates. Enough is enough!” Crain’s Chicago Business reported last week…...
Keeping up with $1.6 billion in Illinois rate-hike battles
Consumer wallets took a big hit in January, with four utility rate increases–and a new $53 million natural gas rate-hike request. On Jan. 1, ComEd and Ameren were awarded a combined electric rate increase of $436 million (about $232 million for ComEd and $204 for Ameren). CUB filed a “petition for…...
Breaking: Peoples, North Shore Gas receive $78.5 million in rate hikes
The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) Wednesday granted Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas a $78.5 million increase in delivery rates ($74.8 million for Peoples Gas, $3.7 million for North Shore Gas, according to ICC figures). We’re glad the ICC slashed the companies’ initial rate requests by more than $50 million, but we still think the…...
