CUB to Release Report Showing Consumers Overpaying on Electric Bills

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Jun 13, 2011, 11:55 ET

CHICAGO, June 13, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In the wake of the Chicago-region's first summer heat wave and published reports that electric bills could rise over the next few years, the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) will hold a news conference to release a report that indicates consumers already are overpaying on their power bills to the tune of nearly $200 million a year. The report documents how simple actions at home could help consumers cut electricity use by 5.5 percent, enjoy triple-digit energy savings, and offset ComEd's latest $156 million rate hike. CUB's recommendations come as the Chicago-area enters another expensive air-conditioning season.

CUB Executive Director David Kolata will announce the findings at a news conference:

10:30 a.m., Tuesday, June 14
CUB Headquarters
309 W. Washington St., Suite 800
Chicago

CUB's report will highlight data from CUBEnergySaver.com, a state-of-the-art, free online tool that uses hundreds of energy-saving actions to help households cut their utility bills and rewards users with shopping discounts if they achieve energy savings.

Kolata will be joined by Jack Darin, director of the Sierra Club's Illinois Chapter, representatives of Efficiency 2.0, the makers of CUB Energy Saver, as well as community leaders and ComEd customers who have used CUB Energy Saver to cut residential electric bills.

CUB is Illinois' leading nonprofit utility watchdog organization. Created by the Illinois Legislature, CUB opened its doors in 1984 to represent the interests of residential and small-business utility customers. Since then, CUB has saved consumers more than $10 billion by helping to block rate hikes and secure refunds. For more information, call CUB's Consumer Hotline at 1-800-669-5556 or visit www.CitizensUtilityBoard.org.

SOURCE Citizens Utility Board