1.0Citizens Utility Boardhttps://www.citizensutilityboard.orgrich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="mAODupreXO"><a href="https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/celebrating-35-years-cub-releases-summer-utility-tips-list/">Celebrating 35 Years, CUB Releases Summer Utility Tips List</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/celebrating-35-years-cub-releases-summer-utility-tips-list/embed/#?secret=mAODupreXO" width="600" height="338" title="“Celebrating 35 Years, CUB Releases Summer Utility Tips List” — Citizens Utility Board" data-secret="mAODupreXO" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ /*! This file is auto-generated */ !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); /* ]]> */ </script> [vc_row][vc_column width=”5/6″][vc_custom_heading text=”Celebrating 35 Years, CUB Releases Summer Utility Tips List” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:24|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/6″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”5/6″][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/6″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”5/6″][vc_column_text]FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 17, 2019 CONTACT: Jim Chilsen, (o) 312-263-4282, (c) 312-513-1784 In honor of its 35th anniversary, the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) has released a list of “Dos and Don’ts”—summer tips to help Illinois consumers avoid pitfalls that make their utility bills skyrocket. “It’s been an honor to serve Illinois consumers for the last 35 years,” CUB Executive Director David Kolata said. “For a consumer advocacy group that has helped save Illinois utility customers more than $20 billion, there’s no better way to celebrate an anniversary than to give people tips on how to save money this summer.” After a series of local referendums showed overwhelming support for the creation of an advocate for utility customers, the Illinois General Assembly created CUB in 1983. The CUB Act gave the nonprofit, nonpartisan group the mission to fight for the rights of utility customers across Illinois. At the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC), CUB challenges rate hikes proposed by Illinois’ major gas, electric and water utilities; in Springfield it advocates for legislation that promotes affordable clean energy; and across Illinois it staffs events to help educate consumers about energy efficiency and other ways they can cut their utility bills. The consumer group also has released free guides on fighting robocalls and how to cut smartphone data waste. In recent years, CUB has ramped up advocacy on national issues also, including advocating for better Congressional protections from robocall scams. Since opening its doors in 1984, CUB has helped save Illinois consumers more than $20 billion—a figure confirmed by the ICC—by fighting rate hikes, winning rate cuts and refunds, and advocating for individual consumers. The consumer group includes an outreach team that staffs up to 500 events a year and a consumer advocacy team that handles thousands of complaints and questions from utility customers who call the Consumer Hotline, at 1-800-669-5556. As part of its 35th Anniversary Clean Bill Campaign, CUB has released a summer “Dos and Don’ts” list for utility customers:     DON’T…fall for electric rip-offs. This summer, alternative suppliers going door-to-door, telemarketing you or mailing you pitches may try to lure you into a bad deal. ComEd’s power price (6.725 cents per kilowatt-hour) and Ameren Illinois’ rate (4.561 cents per kilowatt-hour) from June through September are both LOWER than last summer. Beware: The Illinois Attorney General’s Office says consumers with alternative electric suppliers have overpaid by more than $600 million since 2015.     DO…practice energy efficiency. It’s saved consumers more than $4 billion since 2008. Thanks to good legislation like the Future Energy Jobs Act, utilities now offer a rich menu of programs that help you save energy and money. You may think you have to start big by replacing windows, but you don’t. You might get a bigger bang for your buck by simply buying discounted LED bulbs, sealing cracks and leaks around your windows, or adding insulation in the attic.    DON’T…engage with robocallers. Illinoisans were hit with an estimated 1.8 billion robocalls last year, and many were scams. So if you receive a marketing robocall, just […]https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/CUB_IL_LogoBadgeRGBAdminLogo.png254254