Year In Review Archives | Citizens Utility Board

Executive Director’s 2025 Report: A Heartfelt Thanks

Elizabeth — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 21:31:56 +0000

By Sarah Moskowitz, Executive Director, Citizens Utility Board Here is my report for 2025–CUB’s 41st year of consumer advocacy. I’m proud of how the CUB team served Illinois consumers in a tough year marked by a painful summer electricity price spike for ComEd and Ameren customers and rate-hike battles against Illinois’ biggest electric and gas utilities. The soaring price of electricity is why we worked so hard to help pass the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability (CRGA) Act on the last day of the Illinois General Assembly’s Fall Veto Session. This was a major victory–I’ll explain more in the Policy team’s update below! The following department-by-department report is a snapshot of the work the CUB team (pictured at the bottom of this article) did in 2025. I’m honored to work alongside such a fantastic team, and I’m grateful we have such generous supporters. You help lead the charge for lower utility bills, consumer protections and cleaner energy, through your donations, by following our issues, and by signing petitions and sending messages. Together we are working hard to make a positive difference for utility customers in Illinois. On behalf of the CUB team, a warm, heartfelt thanks for your support. Legal Department–General Counsel Eric DeBellis CUB’s two-person legal team (Eric and Laura) in 2025 battled utility campaigns to raise delivery charges by $771 million: Nicor Gas (Docket 25-0055): $314.3 million Commonwealth Edison (Docket 25-0383): $268.5 million Ameren Illinois (gas) (Docket 25-0084): $128.8 million Ameren (electric) (Docket 25-0382): $59.6 million Your support at work: CUB and other consumer advocates have so far helped reduce rate hikes by more than $202 million ($146.5 million for Nicor customers and $55.8 million for Ameren customers, in the gas cases that state regulators ruled on Nov. 19). Over our 41-year history, we’ve helped save Illinois consumers more than $20 billion. Stay tuned: We will update this report after the Illinois Commerce Commission issues rulings on the electric rate cases in December. More on these cases below. Ameren Illinois ($59.6 million) and ComEd ($265.8 million) are pushing for higher electric rates CUB’s statement on Nicor rate-case ruling. CUB’s statement on Ameren rate-case ruling. Also, in February CUB applauded state regulators for issuing a ruling, after a year-long investigation, that finally attempted to rein in the over-budget and behind-schedule Peoples Gas pipe-replacement program. CUB thanked the ICC for “protecting consumers against the spiraling costs and intractable waste that have plagued Peoples Gas’ pipe-replacement program from its inception.” But our work is far from over: We expect Peoples Gas to file for another rate hike early in 2026. In another victory for consumers, CUB’s legal team worked at the ICC to create a “time of use” option for ComEd customers. Months later, the CRGA Act codified the option, ensuring that both Ameren and ComEd offer predictable time-variant rates that enable residential customers to save money by using less energy when demand is high. TOU rates can help delay or avoid altogether the need to build more pricey power plants or replace/upgrade grid equipment. Consumer Advocacy Department–Director Sandra Marcelin-Reme CUB’s Consumer Advocacy Department (Annie, Danielle and Sandra) has handled 1,315 consumer […]

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Thank you, Illinois consumers: Executive Director’s 2024 End-of-Year Report

Jim Chilsen — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 13:22:22 +0000

By Sarah Moskowitz, Executive Director, Citizens Utility Board Below is my year-in-review for 2024–the Citizens Utility Board’s 40th anniversary. This is a snapshot of how hard the CUB team (pictured at the bottom of this article) is working for you and all Illinois consumers. I’m proud of the great work by CUB’s staff–thank you, team! And I’m grateful for your generous support–through donations, by signing petitions, by showing interest in our emails. Our accomplishments are your accomplishments, and together we are making a difference for people across Illinois. On behalf of the CUB team, a warm, heartfelt thanks for your support. Check out my interview on Fox Good Day Chicago and in the Chicago-Sun-Times about CUB’s 40th anniversary. If after reading this article, you want to renew your CUB membership for 2025, you can do so here. Consumer Advocacy Department–Director Sandra Marcelin-Reme CUB’s Consumer Advocacy Department (Annie, Danielle and Sandra) has handled more than 1,500 consumer inquiries, saving individual utility customers a total of $35,888 in 2024. Your support at work: Annie, CUB’s Bilingual Consumer Rights Specialist, took on the case of a small-business owner who had suffered since 2020 under a bad deal with an alternative electricity supplier. Annie helped secure a $23,288.76 refund for the customer. “OMG! I am very happy with the outcome of this case,” Annie wrote in an email to the staff. That’s one example. Here are other people we helped when we advocated for them in complaints against their electric, gas, water or telecom/cable companies: Dave M. of Homer Glen saved $3,059 off their Illinois American Water bill. Rakesh D. of Round Lake saved $2,346 off their ComEd bill. Lesley B. of Chicago saved $1,199 off their Peoples Gas bill. Francis D. of Chicago saved $823 off their ComEd. Chelsea W. of Tonono saved $739 off their Clearview Electric bill. Amy B. of Chicago saved $705 off their AT&T bill. Cristobalina C. of Niles saved $700 off their Indra Energy bill. Brian and Marci B. of Freeport saved $545 off their ComEd bill. Ashley S. of Chicago saved $466 off their Peoples Gas bill. Mary B. of Carol Stream saved $463 off their ComEd bill. Ma M. of Aurora saved $413 off their ComEd bill. Steven B. of Belleville saved $111 off their Illinois American Water bill. Mathew K. of Frankfort saved $100 off their Comcast/Xfinity bill. Rose A. of Chicago saved $51 off their Verizon Wireless bill. Paula M. of Benton daved $50 off their Frontier/Citizens Communications bill. Outreach Department–Director Ivonne Rychwa The Outreach Department (Grace, Ivonne, Karen, Marina, Matt, Scott and Zoe) has staffed about 230 free events this year, giving more than 5,000 consumers across the state of Illinois money-saving tips on energy efficiency, solar power, reducing TV costs, avoiding robocall scams and how to spot electric and gas rip-offs on utility bills. The team was proud to be nominated for a Climate Action Hero Award in 2024, for its work in the community educating people how on how clean energy can cut utility bills. In 2024, we again promoted a solar group-buy program that secures deep discounts on solar panels and helps […]

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The Executive Director’s 2023 End-of-Year Report

Elizabeth — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 11:39:28 +0000

By Sarah Moskowitz, Executive Director, CUB SPECIAL NOTE: Support CUB with a year-end, tax-deductible donation to help work for clean energy, consumer protections and lower utility bills in Illinois in 2024, CUB’s 40th anniversary. I became executive director in June, during one of the most challenging years ever for Illinois utility customers, as we faced a record $2.9 billion in utility rate-hike requests. “How in the world do all these companies have the gall to request all this money?” one CUB supporter asked. “I am a senior and I just can’t afford to pay for everything that is increasing.” As hard as it was to fight the rate-hike barrage, the CUB team rose to the challenge, filing thousands of pages of testimony and legal briefs, delivering thousands of petitions to state regulators, holding hundreds of free events to help consumers cut their costs, and talking to thousands of utility customers who had questions or complaints about their utility bills. And you were with us every step of the way–in this difficult year, we couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you! Part of my job is to communicate to you what CUB has done with your generous support in 2023. Take a look at the CUB team, pictured below, and check out what CUB leaders report: The Legal Team, Eric DeBellis, General Counsel In the last 12 months, I’ve become a new dad and CUB’s new General Counsel, challenging a record six rate-hike requests in which the big Illinois utilities pushed to raise our rates by a total of $2.9 billion. “The work we do at CUB matters because millions of Illinoisans pay utility companies billions of dollars every year for vital services. Someone needs to hold these companies accountable,” I said when I took over for Julie Soderna after her 20-year career at CUB. Partnering with consumer groups and the Illinois Attorney General’s office, (CUB’s great) Regulatory Counsel Laura Loyd and I worked hard all year long, arguing to state regulators that the hikes should be cut by a total of $1.7 billion. In the end, the the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) reduced the hikes by a total of $1.6 billion in two positive rulings. In November, the ICC cut the gas rate hikes by a total of $240 million and halted the over-budget, behind-schedule Peoples Gas pipeline-replacement program until an investigation can be conducted into the management of the program. On the electric side, in December state regulators rejected the multi-year grid plans proposed by Ameren and ComEd for lacking any proof of their affordability and cut the rate hikes by a total of $1.4 billion. In both instances, the gas and electric utilities did get rate hikes, and we never like to see that, but they received much less than what they wanted. And the ICC gave the utilities a clear message: You must be held accountable to your customers and provide more affordable service. Thank you so much to everyone who has taken the time to sign our petitions, file public comments with the ICC, attend protests, and speak at public hearings–you all are our superpower! […]

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2022 End-of-year Report from CUB Executive Director David Kolata

Elizabeth — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 18:04:48 +0000

By David Kolata CUB Executive Director This has been a tough year, with skyrocketing energy bills, thanks to volatile natural gas prices and aggressive utility spending. The CUB team needed Illinois consumers in 2022, and you came through for us. Thank you! Please know that our goal every year is to live up to your support, and be the hardest working consumer advocates in the country. I’ve asked some of the advocates at CUB to summarize the consumer-defense programs Illinoisans have supported this year. Their reports are below. The Consumer Advocacy Team, Sandra Marcelin-Reme, Director My team has handled more than 3,000 consumer inquiries/complaints this year, and saved individual consumers more than $45,500, including Charles, who saved $2,700. “Now the gas company isn’t doing anyone any favors, they’re going to try to get what they can, what they feel that they are owed,” he said. “CUB intervenes and makes sure the consumer isn’t hoodwinked or however you’d say it by the gas company or any other utility.” Over CUB’s history, the department has handled more than 200,000 inquiries and saved consumers more than $1.2 million. (Watch the video highlighting CUB’s consumer advocacy work.) The Outreach Team, Ivonne Rychwa, Director My team this year staffed more than 380 free events across Illinois, from Carbondale to Rockford and many towns in between. We hold a lot of events over Zoom, but also help consumers in-person at community centers and public libraries. Our virtual utility bill clinic service allows people to email us their bills (ubc@citizensutilityboard.org) to analyze them for potential savings. That’s how we helped Carolyn save more than $600 after ComEd was trying to wrongly charge her for her ex-husband’s utility bills. “They were absolutely instrumental in helping me resolve my case,” she said of CUB. “Like magic, everything was reversed and his charges were removed from my bill.” At a time of soaring energy prices, CUB’s Outreach team also promoted Grow Solar, a program that makes it easier for consumers to install solar panels. “Now is a perfect time to consider going solar,” said Marina Minic, Solar Programs Administrator at CUB, which partnered with the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) in the program. “Adding solar panels can lower your energy bills right away, and unlike utility companies, those panels will never raise their rates.” (See Marina’s interview on WGN-TV–“Thank you for having me so I can talk about solar today.”) Grow Solar ended 2022 with 76 properties contracted to install solar panels–a potential total savings of more than $71,000 for participants in the first year alone. The Legal Team, Julie Soderna, General Counsel Our two-person legal team—Regulatory Counsel Eric DeBellis and I—tackled about 20 cases this year. We fought for a customer refund in the wake of the ComEd scandal, and eventually, state regulators approved $38 million. (We think consumers deserve more!) Also, we helped secure big refunds for electric customers ($434 million for ComEd customers, and $50.8 for Ameren Illinois customers), forcing the state’s two biggest electric companies to share massive discounts they received on their corporate tax bills in a much faster schedule (three years) than they ever […]

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2021 Year in Review: Fighting for historic legislation, beating back millions in higher rates

Hannah — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 19:09:13 +0000

Amid an ongoing pandemic and skyrocketing energy prices, CUB in 2021 sued a scandal-plagued utility, beat back millions of dollars in rate hikes and helped pass historic energy legislation. “I am proud of how our staff battled through yet another difficult year, but consumers deserve the credit,” CUB Executive David Kolata said. “We all pay utility bills and know how important it is to have clean, affordable energy—and that’s why we’re so grateful for the support of Illinois residents who believe in consumer advocacy.” The year isn’t over, but so far CUB has: Handled 1,334 utility customer consumer complaints/inquiries, winning individual consumers financial relief totaling $19,331. Staffed 360 free events, including more than 90 that were in Spanish or assisted Spanish-speaking consumers. Helped negotiate $2 million in refunds and energy assistance from three alternative suppliers accused of violating state regulations. Helped reduce rate hikes by a total of about $85 million. Added two free consumer guides to our guide catalog. Helped pass the Climate & Equitable Jobs Act, hailed as a national model for finding consumer-friendly ways to fight climate change. Here’s a month-by-month rundown of the year: January: Suing ComEd CUB filed a complaint in federal court to win refunds for customers victimized by ComEd’s ongoing ethics scandal. “ComEd willfully and intentionally violated numerous state and federal laws with the goal of obtaining money and political power,” the lawsuit said. Meanwhile, CUB helped cut Ameren Illinois’ natural gas rate hike by about $26 million, and it faced a new $293 million Nicor Gas rate-hike request–the highest gas request in Illinois history. CUB called it a “cold slap in the face” for customers struggling during the pandemic. February: Deep freeze Gov. J.B. Pritzker declared a state of emergency in all 102 Illinois counties because of snow and cold. Across the Southern U.S., record cold froze wellheads and pipelines, constraining natural gas supply just as demand soared. Back at CUB, we feared this would lead to skyrocketing gas costs in Illinois. Also, CUB filed testimony arguing North Shore Gas’ proposed $10.6 million increase was unjust and unreasonable and should be slashed. March: Costs of privatization exposed On World Water Day, CUB called for legislation that would require a local referendum before private water companies could buy a municipal water system. Under state law, Illinois American Water and Aqua Illinois can raise customers’ rates to pay for municipal purchases—$250 million and counting. CUB’s news conference got wide coverage (Chicago Tribune: “Utility watchdog urges legislation to give Illinois residents a say in water privatization”), and a special website to educate consumers on this issue, CUBWaterTracker.com, won an award for excellence. April: Formula foolishness ComEd filed for a $51 million rate hike, and Ameren for $64 million—the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) will rule on the cases in December. Over the past decade, the utilities have raked in hundreds of millions of dollars thanks to a system of setting rates by formula that reduces regulatory oversight. Formula rates are at the center of the ComEd scandal–the utility is accused of illegal lobbying to pass state legislation that created formula rates. The summer would be dominated by efforts to […]

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2020: CUB’s Year by the Numbers

Hannah — Fri, 13 Nov 2020 20:23:27 +0000

2020 certainly wasn’t the year we were expecting: COVID-19 pandemic, racial and economic injustice and utility corruption. But CUB continued to work for Illinois consumers, despite some of the obstacles this year has thrown our way. We converted all of our in-person events to online programming, and invited people to email us their bills so we could analyze them. We fought for and won unprecedented consumer protections before the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC). We also defeated a proposal that could have made people vulnerable to COVID-19 and rip-offs. As you read through all the numbers that summarize CUB’s year, know that all this good work is because of you, our supporters who fight for lower bills and believe in clean, affordable energy and consumer rights for all. Thank you! ICC Docket No. 20-0309 CUB helped develop some of the nation’s strongest consumer protections this year for people struggling to pay their bills during the pandemic. After months of negotiations, CUB and a team of consumer advocates from across the state secured an extended moratorium on shut-offs, consumer-friendly payment plans and a payment-assistance program to help people pay off debt. While these provisions give direct relief to those having difficulty paying their bills, it also benefits all customers. This plan keeps more customers connected to essential utility service, while also reducing uncollectable costs that are included in the rates everyone pays. $200 Million? Not Enough. In the wake of federal prosecutors revealing a ComEd bribery scheme to help pass formula rate legislation, CUB huddled with legal experts and former Gov. Pat Quinn to file a federal lawsuit alleging the utility engaged in “racketeering activities” and enriched itself “at the expense of Illinois utility customers.” This is part of an ongoing campaign to secure restitution for customers. ComEd has already paid the government a $200 million fine, but that doesn’t help consumers who have suffered higher bills. This is a battle that could be fought on multiple fronts, including the courts and before the General Assembly. $62+ Million in Rate Cuts The ICC approved delivery rate cuts for Ameren Illinois and ComEd customers. The ICC voted to give ComEd a delivery rate decrease of about $14 million and a decrease of about $48.7 million for Ameren electric. The lower delivery rates take effect on Jan. 1, 2021. ComEd originally proposed a decrease of $11.5 million, and Ameren $45.3 million, but those numbers were adjusted as the cases moved forward. We’re glad to see both utilities asking for rate cuts, but we also know that consumers’ electric bills are still too high, and that’s why we’re trying to end formula rates before the General Assembly. In our 2020 Utility Customer Survey, almost 40 percent of respondents said that electric is their biggest bill. We are also intervening in an Ameren gas rate case. The utility asked for an increase of about $100 million and a 10.5% Return on Equity (ROE) — the profit rate for shareholders. We’re hoping to reduce the increase by about $30 million. At press time, this rate cases had not been decided. 3-2 Victory CUB helped defeat a proposal before the ICC that would have allowed alternative energy suppliers to restart door-to-door sales during the pandemic. CUB argued it was a bad idea because it could expose people to […]

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CUB’s 2019 Year in Review: ‘These victories are your victories.’

Hannah — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 17:45:07 +0000

In CUB’s 35th year fighting for consumers, we set a new record for staffing money-saving events, marked a historic legislative victory, and worked on cases that have the potential to secure $90 million in refunds, rate cuts and other consumer benefits. CUB Executive Director David Kolata said this work is all made possible by the support of Illinois consumers like you. “These victories are your victories,” Kolata said. “We achieved them together because of your support. On behalf of the CUB team, thank you!” Thanks to a ruling by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in December, we face a big battle in 2020 to secure clean, affordable energy in Illinois. (Take action!) Still, it’s important to review how the dedication, hard work and support of Illinois consumers paid off in 2019. CUB’s leadership team provided these year-end reports: Legal Team, General Counsel Julie Soderna: Senior Attorney Kelly Turner and I juggled a heavy caseload: 26 cases. We helped cut Nicor Gas’ record rate hike by $62 million. We also helped secure a $7.2 million refund package—including $3.5 million in bill credits—from Peoples Gas, which faced strong allegations of mismanagement and imprudence. In addition, ComEd and Ameren Illinois both filed rate cuts for 2020. The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) OK’d a $16.9 million ComEd decrease and a $7 million Ameren rate cut, which both take effect Jan. 1. Consumer Advocacy Team, Director Sandra Marcelin-Reme: Our team handled thousands of complaints and inquiries from utility customers this year and saved individuals a total of $124,855. Consumer Rights Specialist Annie Warnock made a ComEd customer happy by saving him $82,000 in a billing mix-up involving his business. “CUB is a vital resource, you guys helped save my company from bankruptcy,” he said. We also helped 96-year-old Elizabeth Davis, who was overpaying by 38-50% with two different alternative power suppliers. “I don’t even remember joining those people,” she told a TV station that reported on CUB’s warning about rip-offs in June. Consumer Advocacy Assistant Jantay Gray secured refunds for Ms. Davis totaling $120. The consumer advocacy team includes: Annie Warnock, Consumer Rights Specialist-Bilingual (Spanish); Danielle Holmes, Consumer Rights Specialist; and Jantay Gray, Administrative & Consumer Advocacy Assistant. Outreach Team, Director Sarah Moskowitz: 2019 has been a busy year for our team! As part of our 35th Anniversary Clean Bill Campaign, we staffed 569 events (a new record!) attended by about 20,000 people. By reviewing 880 utility bills at 78 of our popular utility bill clinics, the team saved consumers total of about $13,182 per month, or about $158,184 a year. We helped people sign up for energy efficiency programs and uncovered gas/electric supplier rip-offs on customers’ bills. Among the highlights, Lead Community Liaison Ivonne Rychwa helped secure a $200 refund for a victim of an alternative supplier rip-off. Also, Christina Uzzo, CUB’s environmental outreach coordinator, helped organize 65 community meetings to promote Solarize Chicagoland, a program that makes solar more accessible and affordable for consumers. The program achieved commitments to install solar on 135 properties in northern Illinois. The newly-installed solar arrays will save customers an estimated $98,300 in electric bills in […]

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