1.0Citizens Utility Boardhttps://www.citizensutilityboard.orgrich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="agkpmuelyo"><a href="https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/blog/2025/11/17/executive-directors-2025-end-of-year-report/">Executive Director’s 2025 Report: A Heartfelt Thanks</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/blog/2025/11/17/executive-directors-2025-end-of-year-report/embed/#?secret=agkpmuelyo" width="600" height="338" title="“Executive Director’s 2025 Report: A Heartfelt Thanks” — Citizens Utility Board" data-secret="agkpmuelyo" 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> 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 […]https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Sarah-speaking-at-CRGA-Press-Conference.jpg20481365