CUB anniversary Archives | Citizens Utility Board https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/blog/tag/cub-anniversary/ Fight utility rate hikes, promote clean energy, and advocate for consumer protections in Illinois. Sat, 23 Nov 2024 12:11:59 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.2 https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/cropped-CUB_LogoBadgeAlt-32x32.png CUB anniversary Archives | Citizens Utility Board https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/blog/tag/cub-anniversary/ 32 32 Chicago Sun-Times: Here’s how the Citizens Utility Board has saved Illinois consumers billions (The group turned 40 this year but not everyone knows about the CUB’s role in representing ratepayers.) https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/blog/2024/11/22/chicago-sun-times-heres-how-the-citizens-utility-board-has-saved-illinois-consumers-billions-the-group-turned-40-this-year-but-not-everyone-knows-about-the-cubs-role-in-representing-ratep/ Fri, 22 Nov 2024 21:27:41 +0000 https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/?p=41881 By Stephanie Zimmerman Chicago Sun-Times Utility bills can be confusing, but the nonpartisan Citizens Utility Board of Illinois has helped save consumers an estimated $20 billion in blocked rate hikes and refunds over the past 40 years. Yet not everyone knows about the group’s role in representing ratepayers, says CUB’s Executive Director Sarah Moskowitz. Sometimes she gets confused looks when she explains that CUB was created by the Illinois Legislature but isn’t funded by the state. “I think a lot of people don’t know that we exist or what it is that we do,” says Moskowitz, who started answering phones for CUB’s consumer hotline in 2000 and rose through the ranks as she earned her graduate degree in social service administration from the University of Chicago. Created by the state Legislature to be a voice for consumers in utility matters, CUB weighs in on proposed rate hikes by electric, gas and water utilities statewide. It also helps educate consumers, from warning people about shady alternative energy sellers to giving tips for lowering cellphone costs, getting heating discounts and obtaining solar power. CUB started in 1984, and within a year, it had won state reforms requiring audits of utility plant construction costs and other spending. Two years later, it notched its first win against a proposed ComEd rate increase that saved consumers $1.9 billion. The group helped pass the 2021 Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, which set a goal of having 100% carbon-free energy in Illinois by 2045. Last year, CUB’s challenges to proposed electric and natural gas rate increases throughout Illinois helped slice $1.6 billion from a record $2.9 billion in proposed rate increases. The organization also has sharply criticized the massive pipeline replacement project by Peoples Gas, an undertaking that was budgeted at $2 billion in 2007 and is now at $11 billion with only about 38% of the work completed, according to a recent report. Apart from a $100,000 loan when it launched, which was repaid with interest, the consumer group doesn’t get state funding. The bulk of the group’s $2.2 million in revenue — including for the related CUB Consumer Education and Research Fund — came from grants, donations and memberships, according to its 2023 tax filings. While it has faced criticism in the past for taking large donations from foundations funded by utilities including ComEd, the group’s biggest donor, at just over $1 million, in 2023 was the U.S. Energy Foundation, founded by the MacArthur and Rockefeller foundations and the Pew Charitable Trusts to help reduce energy use and promote renewable sources. Other donations last year included $115,000 from the Joyce Foundation and $75,000 from Crown Family Philanthropies. CUB is keeping an eye on reliability and affordability as Illinois transitions toward more renewable energy sources, Moskowitz says. “We want to make sure that vulnerable customers and customers who don’t have the up-front capital to make those investments aren’t left behind,” she says. To mark its 40th anniversary, CUB has been holding at least 300 online and in-person events around the state — offering tips on how to save energy at home as well as utility bill clinics, where people can bring in […]

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]]> In 2024, CUB celebrates 40 years of fighting for consumers https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/blog/2024/01/12/in-2024-cub-celebrates-its-40th/ Fri, 12 Jan 2024 21:59:03 +0000 https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/?p=39099 Remember how bad it was before the Citizens Utility Board (CUB)? It was the spring of 1983, and Gov.  “Big Jim” Thompson was in a packed theater in southern Illinois pitching a tax increase—but people were more interested in what he would do about utility bills. What he said sparked applause from 200 Belleville-area residents. “Let’s have a citizens utility board,” said Thompson, virtually assuring that the CUB Act, then before the General Assembly, would become law. He would sign it less than five months later, on Sept. 20, 1983. It was the culmination of more than a year of hard work by consumers fed up with high utility bills, including 34-year-old activist Pat Quinn, who railed against “an unprecedented series of back-breaking” utility increases. He led a statewide referendum movement in favor of creating a consumer watchdog group for utility customers. At the time, the idea was gaining popularity nationwide thanks to consumer advocates like Ralph Nader. In Illinois, the headlines were dark those days. Facing criticism about cost over-runs, ComEd, which boosted profits by 35 percent in 1982, had a “continuing need for higher rates” largely fueled by power plant construction, the Chicago Tribune reported. The next summer, one Sunday front page warned: “Utility rates expected to double in 3 years.” There was talk of “a utility price disaster.” No wonder frustration was palpable. “Send the flunky home!” someone shouted as a utility official tried to speak at one community meeting.   The birth of CUB came after advisory referendums were placed on the ballots of communities throughout Illinois, thanks to the petition efforts of citizens. In November 1982, Chicago voted 4-1 in favor of a CUB, and in April 111 Illinois communities followed suit—sometimes by a pro-CUB margin of 14-1. Such “whopping margins give us a lot of momentum to go down to the legislature,” Quinn said at the time. He was right: By late May 1983 the House and Senate, which had observed the results of the advisory referendums, had both passed the CUB Act, setting the stage for Thompson’s signing. CUB opened its doors in 1984. That year, the watchdog received a $100,000 state start-up loan, which the group paid back with, interest within two years. The rest is history. Quinn, of course, went on to serve as governor and CUB went on to help save consumers more than $20 billion.  

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]]> Executive Director’s Report https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/blog/2019/05/21/executive-directors-report/ Tue, 21 May 2019 14:11:35 +0000 https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/?p=18277 Because of CUB’s most valuable supporters, here’s an update on where we’re at with some key battles in Springfield. Also, we want to let you know about a special offer in honor of CUB’s 35th anniversary. 35 years ago this month, a small group of consumer advocates began challenging high utility bills in Illinois, and since then CUB has helped save Illinoisans more than $20 billion. This month, in honor of our anniversary, we are offering CUB’s special, heavy-duty cotton canvas tote bag to anyone who helps us fight rate hikes with a donation of $25 or more. We could always use the help. Here’s our to-do list in Springfield: CUB is fighting for legislation, the Clean Energy Jobs Act (Senate Bill 2132/House Bill 3624), to help protect Illinois consumers from out-of-state power generators that want to alter electricity market rules and make most Illinois consumers pay up to $500 million a year more on their power bills. We’re fighting legislation pushed by Vistra (Amendment #4 to Senate Bill 2080), Illinois’ largest coal plant operator, to get a $1 billion bailout. We’re battling legislation pushed by NRG (Amendment #3 to Senate Bill 135), Illinois’ second-largest coal plant operator, to get a bailout of at least $300 million a year. CUB is fighting for stronger consumer protection laws (Senate Bill 651) to combat rip-offs from alternative suppliers. Since 2015, Illinois consumers have overpaid by more than $550 million with alternative power suppliers. We’re pushing legislation (House Bill 3044) to rein in out-of-control spending in the Peoples Gas pipe-replacement program, which threatens to spark a heating-affordability crisis in Chicago. We’re also fighting many battles outside the State Capitol: In Washington, we’re battling power generators’ attempts to change key electricity market rules at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. And we’ll challenge any attempt by AT&T to get Federal Communications Commission approval to end Illinois landline service. At the Illinois Commerce Commission, we’re challenging Nicor’s $183.4 million rate-hike request. (The hike has already been reduced from a record-high $230 million, and at press time we were working to cut it more.) Across Illinois, we’re holding 500 events to spot rip-offs hiding on utility bills and educate consumers about energy efficiency programs that can cut their costs. There’s a lot of work to do, but we’re glad we’ve got you on our side. As one of CUB’s volunteers, Emilia, told us recently, we’re doing valuable work: “CUB reaches out to everyone on a basic level of need, not ideology. It is hard to find a volunteer opportunity that isn’t partisan. CUB is focused on just helping people and it doesn’t matter who you are or what you believe…You guys are just there to help and I really appreciate that.” And we appreciate all of you. P.S. The big utility companies have raked in billions. If you help fight rate hikes with a $25 donation (or more), we’ll send you CUB’s heavy-duty, cotton canvas tote.

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]]> In 2019, CUB celebrates 35 years of fighting for consumers https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/blog/2019/01/03/in-2019-cub-celebrates-its-35th-anniversary-2/ Thu, 03 Jan 2019 17:47:58 +0000 https://citizensutilityboard.org/?p=16223 Remember how bad it was before the Citizens Utility Board (CUB)? It was the spring of 1983, and Gov.  “Big Jim” Thompson was in a packed theater in southern Illinois pitching a tax increase—but people were more interested in what he would do about utility bills. What he said sparked applause from 200 Belleville-area residents. “Let’s have a citizens utility board,” said Thompson, virtually assuring that the CUB Act, then before the General Assembly, would become law. He would sign it less than five months later, on Sept. 20, 1983. It was the culmination of more than a year of hard work by consumers fed up with high utility bills, including 34-year-old activist Pat Quinn, who railed against “an unprecedented series of back-breaking” utility increases. He led a statewide referendum movement in favor of creating a consumer watchdog group for utility customers. At the time, the idea was gaining popularity nationwide thanks to consumer advocates like Ralph Nader. In Illinois, the headlines were dark those days. Facing criticism about cost over-runs, ComEd, which boosted profits by 35 percent in 1982, had a “continuing need for higher rates” largely fueled by power plant construction, the Chicago Tribune reported. The next summer, one Sunday front page warned: “Utility rates expected to double in 3 years.” There was talk of “a utility price disaster.” No wonder frustration was palpable. “Send the flunky home!” someone shouted as a utility official tried to speak at one community meeting. The birth of CUB came after advisory referendums were placed on the ballots of communities throughout Illinois, thanks to the petition efforts of citizens. In November 1982, Chicago voted 4-1 in favor of a CUB, and in April 111 Illinois communities followed suit—sometimes by a pro-CUB margin of 14-1. Such “whopping margins give us a lot of momentum to go down to the legislature,” Quinn said at the time. He was right: By late May 1983 the House and Senate, which had observed the results of the advisory referendums, had both passed the CUB Act, setting the stage for Thompson’s signing. CUB opened its doors in 1984. That year, the watchdog received a $100,000 state start-up loan, which the group paid back with, interest within two years. The rest is history. Quinn, of course, went on to serve as governor and CUB went on to help save consumers more than $20 billion. 35 Years of Victories 1984: CUB opens its doors. The CUB Act became state law in 1983, giving the nonprofit, nonpartisan watchdog a clear mission: to advocate for the rights of utility customers across the state.  1985: CUB wins landmark reforms, requiring state regulators to conduct audits of plant construction costs and to disallow imprudent spending.  1987: CUB helps block ComEd rate deal, saving consumers $1.3 billion. First time the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) rejected outright a ComEd rate hike. 1988: Illinois Power rate hike fight saves about $3 billion. 1993: Multiple ComEd rate cases settle for a $1.34 billion refund and $339 million rate cut, the largest refund ever recorded by a utility. 1994: Won five-year rate cut for SBC (now AT&T) customers, for total savings […]

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