Citizens

The Citizens Utility Board (CUB), Illinois’ consumer advocate, on Tuesday applauded a record refund package worth more than $196 million for Peoples Gas customers, which settled a long-standing challenge to the utility’s dealings with Enron Corp. in the winter of 2000-2001. CUB had been working with the state’s attorney general’s office and Chicago officials for the past four years to ensure a settlement.

The Citizens Utility Board (CUB) on Wednesday asked Illinois state regulators to act on a series of proposed measures to help consumers cope with the exorbitant heating bills predicted for this winter, and in the future. In a letter to the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC), CUB urged the agency to coordinate several short-term and long-term actions to assist natural gas customers.

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has appointed Martin Cohen, who has served as executive director of the state’s Citizens Utility Board (CUB) for the last 12 years, as chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC). Cohen will be the first consumer advocate ever to lead the ICC.

Coming as the latest shot in the ongoing squabble between the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) and Nicor Gas, the utility watchdog group Thursday blasted a $55 million rate hike proposed by the utility that received a favorable recommendation from two administrative law judges at the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC).

Illinois’ Citizens Utility Board (CUB) filed a class action lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court on Thursday alleging that Nicor Services, an affiliate of Chicago utility Nicor Gas, knowingly markets a gas pipeline repair plan, known as Comfort Guard, to customers who don’t need it and adds it to customers’ bills without their consent.

Illinois’ Citizens Utility Board (CUB) filed a class action lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court on Thursday alleging that Nicor Services, an affiliate of Chicago utility Nicor Gas, knowingly markets a gas pipeline repair plan, known as Comfort Guard, to customers who don’t need it and adds it to customers’ bills without their consent.

Vectren Corp. said last week that ProLiance Energy LLC, a gas marketing firm based in Indianapolis and co-owned by Vectren and Citizens Gas and Coke Utility, plans to appeal the verdict awarded last month to the gas utility department of the City of Huntsville, AL.

Vectren Corp. said this week that ProLiance Energy LLC, a gas marketing firm based in Indianapolis and co-owned by Vectren and Citizens Gas and Coke Utility, plans to appeal the verdict awarded last month to the gas utility department of the City of Huntsville, AL.

“Peoples Energy: Anatomy of a Scandal” is the title of an elaborate diagram Chicago-based watchdog group Citizens Utility Board (CUB) has posted on its web site. The diagram graphically depicts how Peoples Gas allegedly forced Illinois ratepayers into paying “sky-high” gas prices in winter 2000-2001 while its parent company reaped profits with an alleged partner in crime, Enron Corp, through a joint venture called Enovate.