{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"Citizens Utility Board","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org","title":"Statement From CUB Executive Director David Kolata On ICC Passage Of New Consumer Protections For Electric Customers | Citizens Utility Board","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"6o0uQZsJyp\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/statement-cub-executive-director-david-kolata-icc-passage-new-consumer-protections-electric-customers\/\">Statement From CUB Executive Director David Kolata On ICC Passage Of New Consumer Protections For Electric Customers<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/statement-cub-executive-director-david-kolata-icc-passage-new-consumer-protections-electric-customers\/embed\/#?secret=6o0uQZsJyp\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;Statement From CUB Executive Director David Kolata On ICC Passage Of New Consumer Protections For Electric Customers&#8221; &#8212; Citizens Utility Board\" data-secret=\"6o0uQZsJyp\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/* ]]> *\/\n<\/script>\n","description":"[vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;5\/6&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Statement From CUB Executive Director David Kolata On ICC Passage Of New Consumer Protections For Electric Customers&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h2|font_size:24|text_align:left&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/6&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;5\/6&#8243;][vc_column_text][\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Contact: Jim Chilsen, chilsen@citizensutilityboard.org, (312) 513-1784[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/6&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;5\/6&#8243;][vc_column_text]CHICAGO, September 27, 2016\u2014 &#8220;We are pleased that the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) has passed new rules to strengthen consumer protections against misleading and confusing marketing by unregulated electricity\u00a0suppliers. (Note: Send a message to the ICC in favor of the stronger consumer protections.) People deserve to have clear and upfront information about the offers being peddled by power suppliers. However, CUB has heard far too many complaints from Illinois consumers who were surprised to pay double, triple, even six times the rate of the regulated utility\u2014and some people didn&#8217;t even know they were with an alternative supplier until their bills\u00a0skyrocketed. You can&#8217;t have a healthy electricity market if you don&#8217;t have strong consumer protections, so the ICC&#8217;s vote is a big step in the right direction. We commend the ICC, led by Chairman Brien Sheahan, for standing up for consumers, and we urge the General Assembly to support these rules in\u00a0full.&#8221; Background *Customers in Commonwealth Edison and Ameren Illinois territory can choose a company other than the regulated utility to supply them with electricity. On Thursday, Sept. 22, the ICC voted unanimously to require alternative electricity suppliers to operate under stronger marketing\u00a0rules. *In the summer of 2014, CUB and the City of Chicago requested an investigation of Illinois&#8217; electricity market, prompted by reports of confusing and\/or misleading offers and high prices. After a series of workshops, the ICC started a rulemaking proceeding in September of 2015 (Docket No. 15-0512), with the goal of increasing consumer protections for electricity\u00a0shoppers. *Some of the reforms the ICC\u00a0approved: Prohibits alternative suppliers from using a utility&#8217;s name and logo to market its\u00a0products. Requires suppliers to provide 12 months of pricing history for an\u00a0offer. Requires suppliers to send a separate written notice to customers when a variable rate will increase by 20 percent or\u00a0more. Requires supplier sales agents to go through a uniform training program, developed by ICC\u00a0staff. Requires suppliers to permit customers to cancel service without termination fees if the company cannot prove that the customer authorized the\u00a0switch. Requires suppliers to give notice in writing and by telephone that a contract will be\u00a0renewed. Requires suppliers to disclose the terms of renewed contracts. If the new terms differ from the existing contract, then a side-by-side comparison of the existing and new terms must be\u00a0provided. *This is one step in a long process. Thursday&#8217;s ICC vote on the new rules was the &#8220;First Notice Order.&#8221; After that order is published in the Illinois Register, parties like CUB and alternative suppliers have 45 days to file additional comments. Then the ICC has up to a year after the publication date to enter a Second Notice Order. The rule then goes to the Illinois General Assembly&#8217;s Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR), a bipartisan legislative committee that has ultimate authority on whether and how the final rule is approved. CUB hopes the new rules are quickly approved, so they can be implemented next\u00a0year. *Consumers who have questions about alternative suppliers [&hellip;]","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/CUB_IL_LogoBadgeRGBAdminLogo.png","thumbnail_width":254,"thumbnail_height":254}