Latest news with #CitizensUtilityBoard
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
CUB WARNS AMEREN CUSTOMERS OF JUNE 1 ELECTRICITY PRICE SPIKE
Supply Charge On Bills Projected To Spiral By About 50 Percent CHICAGO, May 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Ameren Illinois' summer price for electricity will soar by an estimated 50 percent on June 1, the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) warned in a consumer alert Thursday, as the watchdog urged the utility to work with customers struggling to pay their bills so they can keep their power on during hot weather. At a news conference, CUB explained the causes of the price spike – including the regional power grid operator's new methodology for pricing reserve power that unacceptably raised consumer costs. CUB has launched which has tips on how to get through an expensive summer. While cautioning that pricing has not been finalized, CUB said Ameren has reported that its electricity supply rate, also known as the "price to compare," is set to increase by about 50 percent, to about 12 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) on June 1. This higher rate, which includes the supply price, a transmission charge and a "supply cost adjustment," will increase summer power bills (June through September) by 18 percent to 22 percent, Ameren has estimated. In October, the price is expected to decrease–to roughly 8 cents to 9 cents per kWh, Ameren said. "We urge Ameren Illinois to work with customers to keep their power on this summer, so they can stay safe and cool," CUB Executive Director Sarah Moskowitz said. "High bills can be stressful, so we ask people across central and southern Illinois to check on neighbors, friends and family this summer to make sure nobody is taking risks by keeping their homes too hot. Long-term, this price spike just shows we've got to keep working for consumer protections for electric customers." Moskowitz called for passage of the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act (SB2473/HB3779) in Springfield. The bill would implement a number of pro-consumer clean energy policies, including expanding energy efficiency and other programs that help reduce demand. She also said there is a continuing need for reform at the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), the regional grid operator for all or parts of 15 states from the upper Midwest through Ameren Illinois' territory in central and southern Illinois and down to Louisiana. CUB provided information about the price spike as well as consumer tips: What's the cause? The price for reserve power—called "capacity"—skyrocketed in a MISO-run auction that has a major impact on what consumers pay for electricity. In addition to years-long delays in connecting power plants that could help lower prices–which is also a problem with PJM Interconnection, northern Illinois' grid operator–perhaps the biggest factor in the price spike was that MISO introduced a new pricing methodology that CUB said unfairly compromised affordability in the latest capacity auction. What part of the bill is impacted? Supply, which is the cost of the actual electricity, and transmission. This makes up about a half to two-thirds of bills. Ameren does not profit off this price spike–under law the utility is required to pass supply costs onto customers with no markup. (Ameren profits off rate hikes on the delivery side of bills.) If Ameren doesn't profit off this spike, who does? Big energy companies that sell electricity to utilities. Moskowitz outlined key consumer tips on Practice energy efficiency. Simple things like weatherizing windows and doors–to keep cool air in and warm air out–can help soften the blow of this price spike. But don't take unnecessary risks that keep your home too hot and threaten your health. Efficiency is about eliminating waste but staying safe and cool this summer. Stay in contact with your utility. Keep the lines of communication open this summer. Consumers who are struggling should contact Ameren to inquire about payment plans to pay off debt. CUB called for Ameren to offer good payment plans to help more utility customers stay connected this summer. Ask Ameren Illinois about special programs. Inquire about energy efficiency programs that could help you cut your bills. Also, consider signing up for Ameren's Peak Time Rewards program, which gives residential customers the opportunity to earn bill credits by reducing electricity usage during times of high electricity demand, typically summer afternoons. See if you qualify for energy assistance. To learn more about the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), visit or call the Help Illinois Families Assistance Line at 1-833-711-0374. Beware of alternative supplier rip-offs. Alternative electricity suppliers are impacted by the same market conditions that are causing utility prices to increase, so be careful about getting lured into bad deals. Since 2015, Illinois consumers have lost about $1.8 billion to alternative power suppliers. It's likely, even in this expensive market, that your utility is your best bet. An exception: Many communities in central and southern Illinois have negotiated power deals with a supplier. If your community is one of them, savings aren't guaranteed but it's possible the price is lower than what Ameren's supply rate will be on June 1. Confirm the price and find out when the offer expires. Consider a community solar deal to help ease costs. Community solar offers currently guarantee savings compared to the utility's supply price. But be a careful shopper: Get more information at our special website, If you're interested in installing solar panels, consider the next steps. Learn more about rooftop solar. Also, CUB has information about income-qualified solar programs. Be a good neighbor. Make sure friends, family and neighbors stay safe and cool this summer. For more than 40 years the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) has been Illinois' leading nonprofit utility watchdog group. Created by the Illinois Legislature, CUB opened its doors in 1984 to represent the interests of residential and small-business utility customers. Since then, CUB has helped save consumers more than $20 billion by blocking rate hikes and securing refunds. For more information, call CUB's Consumer Hotline, at 1-800-669-5556, or visit CUB's website, View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Citizens Utility Board Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
ComEd customers warned of higher summer power bills
The Brief ComEd electricity supply prices will rise sharply on June 1, adding about $10.60 per month to customer bills. The Citizens Utility Board (CUB) says the price hike will last at least a year, driven by high capacity costs and policy issues. Consumer advocates point to a state law that will offer partial relief and urge customers to explore assistance options. CHICAGO - Starting next month, ComEd customers can expect to see a noticeable increase in their monthly electric bills, according to the Citizens Utility Board, a nonprofit consumer watchdog. What we know Beginning June 1, ComEd's electricity supply rate will rise to roughly 10 cents per kilowatt-hour—up about 45 percent from last June's rate of 6.9 cents, based on a CUB review of recently filed tariffs. This increase could translate to an extra $10.60 per month for the average customer, and those higher rates are expected to remain in place for the next 12 months. The rate hike covers the supply and transmission portion of the bill, which typically makes up more than half of a customer's total charges. ComEd, by law, cannot profit from this portion of the bill—it passes these costs directly to consumers. What they're saying ComEd, in a statement, acknowledged the potential financial burden and encouraged customers to explore bill-assistance options listed on its website. "Beginning this summer, the average monthly residential customer bill in the ComEd service territory is expected to rise by about $10.60 due to the annual PJM Interconnection capacity auction held last year. These costs go into effect in June and will be reflected in the "supply" portion of customer bills, which ComEd passes on directly to customers with no markup. ComEd does not profit from this increase, was not part of the auction, does not supply capacity, and does not retain any proceeds of the capacity charge payments. ComEd is responsible for the "delivery" portion of bills, which pays for the work ComEd does to maintain and upgrade the system to ensure safe and reliable electric service for all customers. "We fully understand that rising supply costs pose a challenge for customers, which is why we continue to offer our full range of bill-assistance options that, so far this year, have connected nearly 110,000 customers to more than $31 million in financial assistance and other support options. We also offer a comprehensive and award-winning energy-efficiency program that helps families and businesses manage their energy use and save money on monthly bills. Customers can visit to find the programs they may qualify for." What we don't know It's unclear how much relief ComEd customers will see from a credit tied to a state energy law, the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), which is expected to vary month to month. "We're glad CEJA gives customers some relief in the short term, and in the long term we will continue to work at fixing the root causes of this price spike, mainly poor policy from PJM Interconnection, the power grid operator for northern Illinois," CUB Executive Director Sarah Moskowitz said in a statement. "As we advocate for pro-consumer reforms at PJM and the State Capitol, we also urge ComEd to work with customers to keep them connected this summer." CUB has launched to provide energy-saving tips, links to assistance programs, and advice on avoiding costly alternative electricity deals. The Source The information in this article was provided by Citizens Utility Board (CUB) and a statement from ComEd.
CBS News
19-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
ComEd price hike could hit June 1
Your ComEd electricity bills could increase on June 1. The Citizens Utility Board is sending customers another warning about the possible impact of a price hike. On June 1, the utility company's supply rate is expected to increase significantly and stay high for the next year, the watchdog group said. ComEd has estimated the increase could cost customers an extra $10.50 a month. ComEd attributes the spike to extreme weather, spikes from high energy users like data centers and high demand. In December 2024, regulators approved a rate hike for ComEd's clean energy plan of over $600 million. CUB said it will hold a virtual news conference to discuss the increased rates, their root causes, an energy law that partly protects customers from the rate hike, and tips for how customers can keep their costs manageable through the summer.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
‘I left really frustrated' — Mother of Bayles Lake crash victim not feeling heard
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — Months of back and forth with the Iroquois County Highway Department have left a mother exhausted. Her daughter was hurt after she crashed into Bayles Lake last year. Amanda Loveless wants more safety in the area to prevent crashes like her daughter's. In December, 18-year-old Elaine Carman-Loveless was driving down County Road 200N in Loda when her SUV hit a patch of ice. It hit the guardrails, continued to slide and ended up in the lake. Carman-Loveless was able to get out of the SUV through the back and survived. 'I'm not the only one,' Carman-Loveless said. 'My mom's the one who expressed concerns.' 'People say enough is enough' — Citizens Utility Board fighting record-breaking gas rate hike Ever since that cold December day, Carman-Loveless and her mother have been asking for new safety equipment to be installed. On Thursday, Loveless went to the ICHD's meeting in Watseka to see if there were any updates on safety measures. This was the first meeting since Iroquois County State's Attorney Michael Quinlan sent a letter to Charles Alt, the Transportation and Highway Committee chairman, and Alan Hardwood, the Iroquois County Highway Engineer. In the letter, Quinlan said the county would not be held liable if they decided to put up new safety equipment. But that doesn't mean they're going up, and Carman-Loveless and her mother feel they aren't being heard. 'It's more hurtful to me than anything to feel very disregard and ignored as another human being' Carman-Loveless said. Assumption City Council votes to shut down cat rescue until they get a main facility The two said they've reached out to the Iroquois County Transportation and Highway Committee multiple times. Loveless has been to all but one meeting this year. At the meeting Thursday morning, she said it reached a boiling point. 'I was told that they had only five minutes,' Loveless said. 'They had somewhere to be, which was really frustrating because I take off work to be at these meetings. But then also, they just stated, 'Hey, wait, we aren't discussing this.'' Loveless said Alt said there were no future plans to discuss the issue. He did not respond to WCIA 3's requests for comment, and Harwood declined to comment. Village of Savoy approves redevelopment contract in downtown plaza project When asked if she had a message for the board, Carman-Loveless had this to say: 'If this was your child or if this was you, you would feel the same way I do and you would be up at night reading every comment that's hurtful towards you,' she said. 'And they would play in your head every time you're driving.' Despite being frustrated, Loveless and her daughter said they're both going to continue to push for changes to be made to the road. Loveless said she wants the county to apply for an IDOT grant to fix county roads. The deadline for that is mid-June. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
CONSUMER ADVOCATES URGE REGULATORS TO CUT NICOR'S RECORD RATE HIKE BY MORE THAN HALF; DECRY EXCESSIVE PROFITS, WASTEFUL EXECUTIVE BONUSES
CHICAGO, May 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Nicor Gas' bid for a record-breaking $308.6 million rate hike is rife with excesses and should be slashed by more than half, according to testimony submitted to state regulators by the Citizens Utility Board (CUB), Illinois PIRG, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), and other consumer advocates. Citizens Utility Board Logo (PRNewsfoto/Citizens Utility Board) CUB warned the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) that more than $111 million in the rate hike proposal – including a lavish profit rate for Nicor shareholders and wasteful spending on executive bonuses – doesn't pass legal muster and should be rejected. When the Illinois Attorney General's recommendations are taken into consideration, the requested cuts surge to nearly $153 million, according to testimony filed by the state's chief legal officer. And that total still doesn't account for all of the reductions identified by other parties in the case. Nicor's proposal would represent the largest rate hike for a gas utility in Illinois history. "This testimony exposes Nicor's bald-faced attempt to capture exorbitant shareholder profits–an all-too-familiar theme for the utility's customers who have already suffered from exorbitant rate hikes in recent years," said CUB Executive Director Sarah Moskowitz, who urged Nicor customers to sign a petition against the rate hike at . "We urge the ICC to stand up for Nicor customers and slash the utility's request for a record rate hike." This is Nicor's fifth rate-hike request since 2017. Between 2017 and 2024, the utility has raised delivery rates by 114 percent, totaling $747 million, and its parent, Southern Co., has raked in $25.2 billion in profits. "It's time for Nicor to move beyond business-as-usual practices that have already more than doubled its rates in under a decade," said Illinois PIRG Director Abe Scarr. "By considering alternatives to new fossil fuel infrastructure, Nicor can maintain system integrity while reducing rate increases and facilitating the transition to safer, cleaner energy." "In 2023, the Commission warned Nicor it would need to plan for a gas system that meets Illinois decarbonization goals. Two years later, that change is not happening fast enough," said EDF Senior Attorney Curt Stokes. "EDF, along with our allies, has filed testimony charting a better course. It is our hope that Nicor will take our suggestions seriously and update its plan; if not, we will ask the Commission to order them to." Experts sponsored by Illinois PIRG and EDF analyzed Nicor's proposals and asked the Commission to reduce planned gas-pipeline spending by more than $80 million, because Nicor failed to adequately consider alternatives such as repairs or "non-pipeline alternatives" like targeted electrification.
