Celeste, Author at Citizens Utility Board

ComEd’s Hourly Pricing: How to calculate your capacity charge

Celeste — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 17:27:11 +0000

Want to estimate your capacity charge before signing up for ComEd’s Hourly Pricing program? Here’s how to calculate it: 1. Go to this page: https://secure.comed.com/MyAccount/MyService/Pages/UsageDataTool.aspx, choose “View Summary Data Online,” and “Add” your ComEd account number. 2. Click “View Usage Data” and it’ll take you to a results screen showing vital stats. The “Capacity PLC” at the top is a calculation that is unique to each customer. (PLC stands for “Peak Load Contribution,” and according to ComEd it represents your expected energy usage during high-demand hours on hot summer afternoons. The PLC is your households electricity usage averaged over 10 system peak periods the previous summer. ) 3. Once you find your “Capacity PLC,” you multiply the following four figures: The “Capacity PLC” (unique to your account) The “scaling factor” (1.00712) The “forecast pool requirement” (0.9380) The monthly capacity charge rate ($8.331 per Kilowatt-Month) 4. The product of those four numbers is your capacity charge. For more information, check out CUB’s Hourly Pricing fact sheet.

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CUB helps secure $226 refund to overcharged Comcast customer

Celeste — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 16:16:04 +0000

When Robert, a long-time CUB member from Evanston, attended a Virtual Utility Bill Clinic earlier this year, he was most interested in learning about Community Solar. He also came to learn that he had paid $226 to Comcast for cable boxes and adapters that he didn’t have. Aimee Gendusa-English, CUB’s lead service liaison, discussed ways that Robert could save money on his bills, but Robert was already cautious of his energy usage, on an hourly pricing plan and had extra insulation installed in his home. Upon inspecting Robert’s bills, Aimee found that Comcast was billing him a news charge every month for equipment that he had already returned to the company. “Robert was very frustrated, and rightfully so. All the technical jargon used by the telecom industry can get very confusing,” Aimee said. “That’s when I decided to file a complaint on Robert’s behalf to get to the bottom of things.” Ivonne Rychwa, another lead service liaison in the utility watchdog’s outreach department, followed up with Comcast and was able to secure Robert a $226.45 refund. CUB’s Virtual Utility Bill Clinics are one of the free services offered to help consumers see where they can save on their utility bills. If you would like to get your bills analyzed by a CUB representative to see where you can save money, please email a copy of all pages your most recent electric, natural gas and telecom bills to CUB at ubc@citizensutilityboard.org with “Attn: Virtual Utility Bill Clinic” in the subject line.

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CUB’s upcoming virtual events in March

Celeste — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 18:10:22 +0000

We are continuing to host our events virtually to keep you safe and up-to-date on important information about your utility bills and new legislation. If you want to learn more about consumer protections, ways to save money on your utility bills, understanding solar programs and more, check out our upcoming events for the month of March! Have questions or just want to chat with the CUB staff? Every Friday at 11 a.m. we host Coffee with CUB to answer your utility questions and talk! Join us by visiting our Facebook page and watch us via Facebook Live. We also host a Spanish language version, Cafecito con CUB, on Tuesdays at 2 p.m.! 5:00 – 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, March 10: Rockford Virtual Utility Bill ClinicJoin us for a free online event to learn more about reducing electric, gas, and both landline and cell phone bills. Each participant will speak one-on-one with a CUB counselor to discuss their bills in a private and secure video call. Learn more about this event and register here. 7:00 – 9:00 p.m., Wednesday, March 10: Batavia’s Green Night Out at the MoviesJoin for a Facebook Live event of Batavia’s 12th annual Green Night Out at the Movies featuring “Current Revolution.” The event features an environmentally-themed movie and a lively discussion about the topic of the movie with local experts afterward. Learn more here. 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., Thursday, March 11: Presentación con CUB: Ahorre energía y evite estafasAhorrar energía no necesariamente tiene que costar más dinero. CUB te dice cómo puedes ahorrar energía y cómo ahorrar en tus recibos. Además, te mostraremos cómo identificar anormalidades en tus recibos. Regístrese aquí. 6:00 – 7:00 p.m., Thursday, March 11: Facebook Live: DCEO & CUB Talk About LIHEAPAre you having trouble affording your utility bills during this unprecedented crisis? Join CUB and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) to learn about funding available to help families pay their electric/natural gas bills. Learn more here. 6:00 – 7:00 p.m., Monday, March 15: Facebook Live: DCEO y CUB hablan sobre LIHEAP¿Tiene problemas para pagar sus facturas de servicios públicos durante esta crisis sin precedentes? Únase a CUB y al Departamento de Comercio y Oportunidades Económicas (DCEO) para conocer sobre los fondos disponibles de apoyo para ayudar a familias a pagar sus facturas de electricidad y gas natural. Aprende más aquí. 5:30 – 6:30 p.m., Thursday, March 25: Presentación con CUB: Tu servicio de cable y llamadas no deseadas¿Estás cansado de los costos planes de servicio de cable y de recibir llamadas no deseadas? CUB te dice cómo disminuir tus facturas del cable, cuáles alternativas hay para tu servicio de TV y además te enseñaremos como evitar llamadas no deseadas. Aprende más aquí.

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Tell Washington: Protect Our Utility Bills!

Celeste — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 17:49:38 +0000

Natural gas prices are up this month (WAY up for some customers). If last month’s extreme weather and the Texas disaster have taught us anything, it’s that all states should make sure they are well-prepared to protect energy customers. Send a message and help spark action in Washington! In mid-February, a large part of the country, from Illinois to Texas was slammed with subzero temperatures and up to a foot of snow. You’ve all heard about the disaster in Texas—freezing natural gas wellheads, millions of people without power and heat, and dozens of cold-related deaths. The same supply and demand problems during that one week in February have caused natural gas prices to soar in Illinois. Customers in some communities were hit with shockingly high natural gas bills. Plus, most of Illinois’ regulated gas utilities have seen price increases from last month—from about 6 percent to 84 percent. (And it could get worse in April.) If the extreme weather and soaring energy bills have taught us anything it’s that we need quick action to protect consumers’ utility bills in the wake of the storm and to prepare our energy systems for future weather incidents—extreme cold, extreme heat, and violent storms. Please send an email to the White House and Illinois’ Congressional delegation urging positive action to protect our utility bills.

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Wanna see cute pets? Browse our #WatchdogWednesday submissions!

Celeste — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 15:44:17 +0000

February was Responsible Pet Owners’ Month, and we wanted to celebrate by hosting a giveaway and inviting our supporters to submit their pet photos for us to showcase on CUB’s Instagram page. Every Wednesday, we like to raise awareness for different utility issues by featuring a cute pet on our Instagram page. We call it #WatchdogWednesday. Congratulations to Daniela and her dog Chispita, who won a $50 gift certificate to the pet store of their choice! You’ll see these cute pets in the coming weeks on our Instagram page, but we wanted to share the love and thank everyone for their pet photo submissions! Check out these cool pets who support clean, affordable energy and consumer rights: Meet Clementine, a kitty who supports saving energy by turning off the lights, using the dishwasher and washing machine after 9 p.m. (when demand is lower), and more! Thank you Elizabeth for your submission! Meet Kevin, who says he supports CUB because “you guys fight for Illinois customers and always keep us informed!” Thanks Gina for your submission! Meet Tom, a polydactyl cat who supports clean energy. Thanks Sarah for your submission! Meet Jovie, who supports CUB because “they are continuously looking out and fighting for all consumers in Illinois!” Thank you Bob for your submission! Meet Heidi! “I support CUB because [they] help me save money on my telecom and utility bills, [and they] make me aware of the tricks used by these utilities to raise my rates.” Thanks for your support, Heidi. Thank you Fred for your submission! Meet Tyrion, who was a former stray cat and a friend until he was taken in. Thank you Joe for your submission! Meet Duke, who supports CUB for fighting hard to keep rates low, even with ongoing utility corruption. Thank you Thomas for your submission! Meet Wanda and Winnie, who love clean and affordable energy for all Illinoisans. Thank you Cate for your submission! Meet Remy: “I support CUB for the terrific advocacy they provide to utility consumers in Illinois, and why it is important that we all keep vigilant. We can’t fall asleep for a minute.” Thank you John for your submission! Meet Chispita, who supports CUB because “they’re always looking out for customers in Illinois.” Thank you Daniela for your submission! Meet Zeph, who could talk your ear off about water privatization and consumer rights. Thanks Hannah for your submission! Meet Leo DiCaprio: “I support CUB because they are for the people and they protect consumers!” Thanks, Leo. Thank you Amanda for your submission! Meet Little Bit. Thank you Arlene for your submission!

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CUB Q&A: Why did real-time prices get so high for a few days after the winter storm?

Celeste — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 20:17:12 +0000

In the wake of the snowstorm that brought subzero temperatures and up to a foot of snow to parts of Illinois, CUB received several calls from consumers complaining about high prices they were paying for a special program in which electricity rates can change by the hour. CUB is a big proponent of real-time pricing programs—called Hourly Pricing by ComEd and Power Smart Pricing by Ameren Illinois. Most utility customers pay a flat rate for electricity that changes only a few times a year. But Hourly and Power Smart Pricing allow consumers to take advantage of the fact that the actual market price for electricity is lower than that standard rate most hours of the day. There are peak times of the day–when energy demand is high, and prices go up. But if your household can avoid heavy electricity usage–running the dishwasher or doing laundry—until off-peak times, you will be able to save money on these programs. (See CUB’s Big Energy Data Center for research we’ve done on the efficacy of these programs.) In fact, while savings are not guaranteed, participants in these programs have saved on average about 10-15 percent on the supply side of bills. These programs are also good for the environment and reliability, because they ease stress on the grid and reduce peak usage, when some of the dirtiest power plants are operating. But during extreme weather events, like what we saw with the recent snowstorm, prices can get quite high. Read CUB’s Q&A to find out what happened. How high did the Power Smart Pricing and Hourly Pricing rates get? Members of CUB’s staff who are on these programs alerted CUB after the snowstorm that prices for those programs were unusually high: Up to 46.6 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for Ameren’s Power Smart Pricing customers on Wednesday morning and up to 32 cents per kWh for ComEd’s Hourly Pricing customers Tuesday night. That’s much higher than the standard rates most customers are paying now: About 7 cents per kWh for ComEd customers and about 4.5 cents per kWh for Ameren customers. How long did these price spikes last? About a week, between Feb. 14 and Feb. 21. The worst days were Tuesday through Friday. A CUB review found that by Friday, Feb. 19, the prices were beginning to come down to more normal levels as the weather warmed. Get up-to-date pricing information for Power Smart Pricing here and for Hourly Pricing here. Why did we see these price spikes? During this extreme cold snap: More people across the nation used electricity and natural gas to heat their homes, driving up demand. Natural gas pipelines and wellheads froze in Texas and other areas of the South, limiting supply across the country. Power plants that use natural gas to produce electricity became much more expensive to run. These factors helped lead to the spike in wholesale electricity prices. ComEd and Ameren Illinois do not set hourly market prices for electricity–these programs follow the ups and downs of the energy markets. In fact, the utilities under law are not allowed to profit off supply prices: The wholesale cost of electricity is passed along to participants without markup. Will people on these programs […]

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CUB, AG challenge North Shore Gas’ $10.6 million rate hike

Celeste — Fri, 19 Feb 2021 15:55:51 +0000

North Shore Gas is seeking an unjust $10.6 million rate hike fueled by an inflated profit rate for its shareholders, according to testimony CUB filed with the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC). The testimony is part of an overall effort by consumer advocates, including the Illinois Attorney General’s office, to wipe out most of the company’s proposed increase. In October, North Shore Gas, a utility that serves about 165,000 customers in more than 50 suburbs north of Chicago, filed for a $10.6 million rate hike (Docket No. 20-0810), including a 10 percent Return on Equity (ROE), or profit rate for shareholders. The filing started an 11-month rate case, which means if the ICC grants the company an increase it will hit customers just in time for the winter heating season of 2021-22. CUB is challenging the rate hike and commissioned an expert analysis of the company’s proposed profit rate for shareholders. North Shore Gas’ proposed ROE “substantially exceeds a fair return on equity” and “would inflate rates to customers above a just and reasonable level,” according to testimony written by Michael Gorman, an expert from Brubaker & Associates, Inc., a Missouri-based consulting firm that specializes in utility regulation. A more fair ROE is 9.3 percent, which would give the company enough resources to maintain its system and at the same time reduce the rate hike by millions of dollars, according to CUB’s testimony. Strengthening the consumer group’s position, the staff of the ICC also filed testimony and recommended a similar ROE of 9.29 percent. In rate cases, various parties will focus on different aspects of a utility’s proposal. Testimony from the Illinois Attorney General’s office used CUB’s proposed ROE along with its own recommendations on incentive compensation for employees, rate-case expenses and updating net plant balance (an adjustment to correct for updated cost and project projections) to argue for cutting the rake hike to about $2.6 million. That’s about 75 percent less than the company’s proposal. ICC staff recommended cutting the rate hike to about $3.4 million. “As customers struggle to pay their bills and recover from the pandemic, they shouldn’t be slammed with an unjust rate hike,” CUB Executive Director David Kolata said. “The company’s request is over the top, and it’s the last thing North Shore customers need as they try to recover from this unprecedented public health and economic crisis.” Statistics suggest a sizeable number of North Shore customers are having difficulty affording their bills. Citing an ICC filing, Crain’s Chicago Business reported that 31,162 North Shore households received late-payment fees last September—about 21 percent of the total in the company’s territory. In the 60085 ZIP code, which includes Waukegan, 9,558 households were assessed late fees, about 56 percent of the homes there, Crain’s reported. While many customers are struggling, North Shore’s parent company, WEC Energy Group, boasted of “strong 2020 results” in a Feb. 4 news release. The parent reported net income of $1.2 billion, up about 6 percent over 2019. The proposed hike would increase delivery rates, which take up about a third to a half of gas bills. That’s what North Shore charges to cover the […]

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Amid pandemic and ComEd corruption scandal, community advocates launch push for Clean Energy Jobs Act

Celeste — Tue, 09 Feb 2021 15:21:34 +0000

Legislative leaders along with a coalition of consumer and community advocates, including CUB, on Tuesday announced the reintroduction of the Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA), aiming to pass Springfield’s most consumer-friendly energy bill by the end of May. Join the Fight for CEJA! Saying Illinois faces an economic and public health crisis, a racial and economic justice crisis, and a crisis of utility corruption, supporters of CEJA plan to file the bill in the Illinois House of Representatives this week. The bill was first introduced in 2019 and has wide support, but has faced delays caused by the pandemic. New leadership in Washington signals a renewed push for cleaner energy, but advocates say only states can ensure that utilities are held accountable and that the benefits of clean, affordable energy actually get delivered to residents. “The Legislature should enact the long-delayed Clean Energy Jobs Act, which would expand renewable energy, boost energy conservation, put more electric vehicles on the roads, provide support for displaced fossil fuel workers and their communities and steer jobs to economically challenged communities,” the Chicago Sun-Times wrote in a recent editorial. CEJA’s lead co-sponsors are state Rep. Ann Williams, chair of the House Energy Committee, and state Sen. Cristina Castro. Both wrote in a recent opinion piece in the Chicago Tribune that CEJA helps communities most in need, has strong support and puts people and policy before utility company profits—a key reform in the wake of ComEd’s corruption scandal. “The time to pass CEJA is now,” they wrote. CUB outlined the top reasons it supports the Clean Energy Jobs Act. It’s good for our utility bills. CEJA would: Expand natural gas efficiency programs, producing an estimated $700 million per year in consumer savings. Implement electricity market reforms to protect ComEd customers from up to $1.7 billion in higher electric bills due to a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) ruling in 2019 to bail out polluting power plants. While new leadership at FERC promises changes, that will take time and Illinois need to act now to avoid higher costs. Secure savings. CEJA’s “consumer protection adjustment” guarantees cost savings for ComEd customers over what they currently pay for electricity. End formula rate hikes. Setting ComEd and Ameren rates by formula—a system that lacks adequate consumer protections—would be replaced with a system in which state regulators only approve utility programs and rates that are cost-effective. It holds utilities accountable. CEJA would: Create an independent monitor to ensure ethics compliance by all public utilities. Provide restitution for customers. In the wake of the ethics scandal, ComEd shareholders would have to repurpose ill-gained profits so they instead go to programs that serve communities in need. (CUB also is suing ComEd in federal court to win fair compensation for customers. See the Chicago Sun-Times story and read CUB’s complaint.) Prohibit the use of customer funds to cover expenses tied to federal ethics investigations. It cares about communities amid the pandemic. CEJA would: Create thousands of clean energy jobs. Direct jobs and job training to communities that need it the most, including communities of color and towns where big polluters have shuttered their […]

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Worst cold snap in two years—tips on staying safe, warm and energy-efficient in Illinois winters

Celeste — Sat, 06 Feb 2021 15:26:25 +0000

In recent weeks, Illinois has been hit with snow and dangerously cold temperatures—the worse conditions since the polar vortex of January 2019. Here are some tips to stay warm, safe and energy efficient. Staying safe in low temperatures Check on neighbors and loved ones. If you or someone you know doesn’t have access to heat, Keep Warm Illinois lists warming centers near you. Be careful when doing outdoor tasks like shoveling snow. Wear multiple layers of lightweight clothing rather than one thick garment, as this will help keep you insulated. Make sure to cover your head, wear mittens and take frequent breaks. We know pets can be part of your family, too. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) has plenty of cold-weather tips for your pets. Remember: Stay inside if you can, and be wary of the wind chill. Prolonged exposure to cold can lead to frostbite and hypothermia. (Know the signs!) Prepare yourself for wintry weather Be ready to report any outages to your utility company. Wintry weather can spark power outages. By reporting these failures, utility companies can get to work as quickly as possible to restore your power. The following is a list of resources from the major utility companies operating in Illinois. ComEd: Visit https://www.comed.com/Outages/ReportAnOutage/Pages/default.aspx for information on the variety of ways to report outages. Sign up for ComEd’s messaging program for outage updates, including estimated restoration times. Ameren: Visit https://www.ameren.com/illinois/outage-center for information on reporting outages and preparing for bad weather. Sign up for Ameren’s outage alert system. MidAmerican: Report outages using https://www.midamericanenergy.com/ecss/Outage The major gas utilities, Ameren, Nicor and Peoples Gas, also have tips on heating safety, including what to do when you smell gas and how to identify carbon monoxide poisoning. Know the numbers for your local and state emergency management agencies. When bad weather strikes, remember that you are not alone. The State of Illinois has a number of emergency resources available to people in need. A severe-weather preparedness guide. An updated list of county-level Emergency Management Agencies (EMAs). For more information, read our five steps to prepare for bad winter weather. Home tips and energy efficiency Practicing energy efficiency is the safest and most reliable way to stay warm during the winter. Here’s what we recommend at CUB: Keep your home at a steady, safe temperature (about 68-70 degrees). Blasting the heat can be bad for your furnace and your heating bills, but going too low is dangerous to your health. Don’t overwork your heating system. Clean your radiators, air returns, vents and make sure your furniture isn’t blocking any sources of heat. Close blinds as an extra layer of protection against icy night winds. But open them during the day so sunlight can help heat and light your home. Circulate the heat with the help of a ceiling fan. (In the winter, run the fan clockwise.) Make sure to turn the fan off when you leave. Cold weather is a great way to discover drafts in your home. Sealing your windows and doors with weather strips will help prevent cold drafts from coming through. If you’re not […]

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Helpful information and tips on wireless 9-1-1

Celeste — Thu, 04 Feb 2021 20:31:05 +0000

By Joseph Giamberdino Calling 911 on a traditional landline phone means the dispatcher can automatically trace your call to the exact address–but most emergency calls are now made with a cellphone. Wireless 911 is not 100 percent accurate. Here’s what you should know about mobile cellphones and emergency calls. Who is responsible for answering a 911 call? When a call is placed via 9-1-1, it is automatically routed to the nearest call center, called a public safety answering point (PSAP). The responding PSAP is coordinated based on proximity to the cellphone tower that routes the incoming emergency call. That’s so the emergency operator has a basic understanding of the caller’s location. Both the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as well as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) maintain an interactive map of the PSAPs that exist across the United States. Check out the map to see the closest PSAP to your home. (We’ll tell you why this is important in a bit.) How accurate is wireless 9-1-1? Around 80 percent of all emergency calls now come from cellphones, according to the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA). If you use a cellphone to dial 9-1-1, your service provider is responsible for locating you and communicating that to the dispatcher. The service providers (think Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, etc.) triangulate the position of the caller using the cellphone towers that route the call. That means they’re able to locate you within about 330 yards of your exact position. In most cases, that can help you, but Chicago TV stations have shown the shortcomings of wireless in some instances. Check out this harrowing 2019 story by NBC 5 of a stroke victim trying to get help from his hotel room. Thankfully, the technology is getting better, allowing many smartphones to automatically share exact locations with emergency dispatchers. We provide resources below on how to activate this location technology on your smartphone–but remember, this doesn’t cover out-of-date smartphones or non-smartphones. So What Can I Do to Stay Safe? Fortunately, you can help ensure your safety in the case of an emergency. If you are interested in registering your cellphone with a specific address or seeing whether or not the cellphone company is able to accurately locate where you are calling from, you can begin by placing a call to your local PSAP via a non-emergency number. This map from the Department of Homeland Security lists the name and non-emergency number of PSAPs. Just remember: Don’t test 911 by calling it when you don’t have an emergency. Again: Never call 9-1-1 unless there is an emergency. That can tie-up the lines and put people in emergency situations at risk. In addition, many cellphone manufacturing companies are now working to develop technology that aids emergency services. The latest Android and iOS devices now have emergency location technology already installed that just needs to be activated by the user. This article provides an overview of how to set up and activate these new forms of technology on both types of cellphone operating systems. So in an emergency, what are the best practices for calling 911 on my mobile phone? […]

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