Senior Utility Seminar & Ice Cream Social Hosted by State Rep. Thapedi

This event is expected to take place on Monday, Sept. 28, 2014 at the US Bank Building 4th Floor at 815 W 63rd St or 63rd & Halsted). Here there is a seminar for home energy assistance programs, LIHEAP, and other cost saving measures from ComEd, People's Gas, or CEDA representatives. Refer to flyer below for more details.

Press Release: Smart Meter Program Brings New Jobs to Chatham

Via Market Watch:

• CHICAGO, Apr 13, 2015 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Today, U.S. Rep. Bobby L. Rush, the Chatham Business Association and ComEd announced a new pilot program to train 10 residents of Chatham and neighboring communities in outreach efforts to secure the installation of smart meters at local residences that will give customers access to greater savings once in place. The program participants will be trained by ComEd to talk to customers about the benefits of smart meters in an effort to help installers gain access to the existing meters. This pilot came as a result of a call to action by Rep. Rush to bring jobs and economic development to the Greater Chatham area.
  
  “I commend ComEd and the Chatham Business Association for launching this initiative in Chatham. By pairing employment opportunity with consumer education on energy efficiency, the entire community stands to gain. ComEd’s pilot program provides an example of the type of investment and collaboration that I encourage other corporations to follow. They can provide the impetus to turn Chatham around,” said Rep. Rush.
  
  “This digital smart-meter system will not only better power our homes and create real savings for families; it will also power job creation in our neighborhoods like Chatham," said Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “I applaud Congressman Rush and ComEd for partnering together to make sure that residents in Chatham have the skills and training to take part in this exciting 21st-century technological innovation that is bringing with it greater value to customers across Chicago and well-paying, middle-class jobs to families in Chatham.”
  
  "The Chatham Business Association (CBA) has been working with local officials to bring new opportunities to residents of the Chatham neighborhood,” said Melinda Kelly, Executive Director of Chatham Business Association. “CBA is glad to partner in this business savvy smart meter pilot program launched in Chatham. In week one, CBA’s Community Outreach team was able to contact 903 addresses, schedule 45 appointments and eliminate 83 vacant properties from ComEd’s Unable To Complete (UTC) list, bringing the benefits of smart meters and cost savings to area residents. If electric bills go down due to energy efficiency, that means more money in people’s pockets to spend in our neighborhood businesses, thus directly helping small businesses that are thriving in our community. On behalf of CBA’s Board of Directors, I would to thank Congressman Rush for his leadership and ComEd for working with CBA to create an innovative model program that creates jobs with economic value in our community.”
  
  “More than 3,600 full time equivalent jobs have been created as a result of Smart Grid work in northern Illinois,” said ComEd President and CEO Anne Pramaggiore. “This pilot program will help ComEd ensure all customers in the area can benefit from smart meter technology while meeting the need for jobs in the Chatham area. We are pleased to have worked with the Chatham Business Association and Rep. Rush to bring this program to the area.”
  
  The pilot is expected to last for three months and the results will be reviewed by all parties to determine next steps.
  
  Last year ComEd committed to bringing additional meter reader and customer service jobs to the Chatham area. Several Chatham area residents have applied and begun filling those positions.
  
  Public officials who support the endeavor include: 8th Ward Alderman Michelle Harris, 6th Ward Alderman Roderick Sawyer, 34th Ward Alderman and Budget Chair Carrie Austin, Senator Donnie Trotter, Congressman Danny Davis and Commissioner Richard Boykin
  
  Chatham Business Association Small Business Development Inc. (“CBA”) is a non-for-profit organization formed with a mission to promote political and economic stability in Chatham over 43 years ago.Since then as a result of our expertise in small business growth and development our market has expanded to serving businesses throughout the City of Chicago and State of Illinois.CBA’s purpose is to serve as a vehicle for enhancing social and economic growth of Chatham and surrounding communities by creating opportunities and programs that promote community stability.
  
  Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd) is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation EXC, +1.00% the nation’s leading competitive energy provider, with approximately 6.6 million customers. ComEd provides service to approximately 3.8 million customers across northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state’s population. For more information visit ComEd.com, and connect with the company on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
  
  SOURCE: ComEd
  
  ComEd Media Relations
  (312) 394-3500
  
  Copyright Business Wire 2015 

DNA Info also had an article about this.

Two upcoming south side events...

Hat-tip to the Greater Chatham Alliance! One involved help with utility costs for consumers and the other very helpful for senior citizens who own property. For a larger resolution of each flyer click on the pics!

Home energy assistance programs

Utility Help -Energy Flyer_2012

A flyer from CEDA provided courtesy of the Greater Chatham Alliance.

ComEd renews pitch for automatic rate increases

Crain's:

Commonwealth Edison Co. plans a big legislative push this spring that would allow electric and natural-gas utilities to hike delivery rates each year and would sharply curtail state utility regulators’ power to control the price for power and heat.

The measure, modeled in part on a controversial rate-freeze bill ComEd tried to move through the General Assembly last May, would give the state’s utilities far more certainty about recouping infrastructure investments in a timely way. But consumer advocates warn it would increase utility bills.

In a major change from the previous legislation, the new version would involve all of the state’s gas and power utilities rather than just Chicago-based ComEd. That means ComEd can enlist industry allies and add clout to its lobbying effort.

Under the proposal, utilities that agree to invest in their systems at a specific level would be allowed to automatically change their rates each year based on their costs. That would enable them to avoid the Illinois Commerce Commission’s review process, which often stretches to 11 months. The ICC instead would be given a narrower, after-the-fact review to ensure the costs aren’t egregious.

Wards with most, fewest water meters

Sun-Times:

Fewer than one of every three Chicago homeowners has a water meter, which would ensure that they pay only for the water they use — and are able to lower their bill by reducing their consumption, even in the face of what have been steep rate hikes. Homeowners who don’t have a meter also have faced those same rate hikes, no matter how much water they use. They’re charged a flat fee for water based not on usage but on a century-old formula involving the width of their lot and the height of their house.

The result is that many people who don’t have meters pay more for water than their neighbors who do.

Most of those unmetered homes — including those of about half the city’s 50 aldermen — live on the Southwest Side or the Northwest Side, the bungalow belt.

At the link there is a listing of the 50 wards and where they sit as far as the percentage of homes that have water meters.

The 6th had only 20% of residences with a meter. 2,414 residents have a meter while 9,694 are without meters.

PHOTOS: Michigan lights are back on!!!

A follow-up to Thursday's post with pictures of a dark Michigan Avenue. The lights were back on Friday night!

Looking North on Michigan Avenue with bright lights!

 

I never had the opportunity to photograph the light fixtures attached to the streetlights. They were installed probably about late August and Michigan Avenue has never seemed brighter. Walking on the sidewalks I can only imagine is now less dreary.

On Michigan Avenue again from 97th Street looking toward 95th Street. Bright lights once again!

 

BTW, here's 98th Street. It's dark unfortunately, but if Michigan Avenue is lighted up then 98th west of Michigan will be lighted up as well.

Also, I never called the bureau of lighting. In fact I never thought about calling anyone at least before JP posted his story about the sidewalk on his block. It's something I'm going to keep in mind perhaps when I snap anymore pictures of streetlight outages I can have more to say.

Illinois utility begins light bulb recycling

AP:

The state of Illinois has partnered with Ameren Illinois Utilities to offer recycling bins for compact flourescent light blubs.

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and Ameren announced the program Tuesday. The utility says it will use a $50,000 grant from the department to place nearly 100 recycling containers in its service area.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, CFL bulbs use one-third the energy of traditional incandescent bulbs, last up to 10 times longer and save $30 or more in energy costs over their lifetime.

This program is being utilized in downstate cities, but it would be nice to see ComEd create such a program here in Chicago!

Early applications available for Ill. heating help

Pantagraph.com:

Early applications for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program will be available beginning Tuesday. Quinn says he encourage eligible residents to apply so "they can stay safe, warm and healthy this winter."

Under the program, heating bill payments are made to utilities on behalf of households. In Illinois, households earning up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level are eligible.

The governor's office says this year the program is expected to spend $150 million to aid 300,000 households this winter. More information is available by calling 1-877-411-WARM.

If you know anyone in need, please pass this information along to them!

Blackout

There was a power outage in the Roseland Height's neighborhoods between 10:30 & 11:30 PM Thursday night. This was the scene on South Michigan Avenue looking at Harlan High School.

Who else had power outages? This is probably the third one in two or so weeks. In fact there was an outage on Monday afternoon between 4 PM to about 5:30 PM.

New area code, more dialing in store for Chicagoans

Another one?

Chicagoans will soon see a third area code added for local phone numbers, meaning everyone will have to dial 11 digits to make a call anywhere in the city.

The Illinois Commerce Commission announced Monday that the city, presently served by area codes 312 and 773, will receive a third area code this fall. The 872 area code will “overlay” the existing codes to supplement the phone number supply, according to a release from the ICC.

The 773 area code officially reached “exhaust” in late July and though individual numbers remain available, there are no more unassigned prefixes available, the release said. The first prefix in the new area code will go into service on Nov 7.

With the 872 area code, current customers will keep their numbers and 312 or 773 area codes. The new area code is being introduced to assure a continuing supply of prefixes and blocks to assign to new and growing telecommunications service providers, the release said. Consumers seeking additional phone lines will, in most cases, be able to receive 312 and 773.

I still have the magnet on my refrigerator from Ameritech when the 773 area code was created.

ComEd loses customers for first time in 56 years

Crain's:

Chalk up one more dubious distinction for this economic storm: Commonwealth Edison Co. has seen its number of accounts drop this year for the first time since 1953, when it started keeping records on the statistic.

ComEd CEO Frank Clark said Friday that the number of the utility’s customers has fallen by 17,000 this year. ComEd has 3.8 million customers in its northern Illinois service territory.

“This is the first time we’ve ever seen it,” he said during an analysts’ call for ComEd parent Exelon Corp. “It is an unusual event.”

He said he wasn’t sure what caused the falloff, theorizing that people losing their homes to foreclosure are moving in with friends or family.

Well, the question I may ask have nothing to do with it, but I'll ask anyway. Is anyone dissatisfied with the level of service provided by ComEd?

ComEd customers will see 7.5% drop in light bill

Sun-Times:

Starting next month, Commonwealth Edison customers will see electricity rates drop by an average of 7.5 percent.

The typical residential customer's monthly electric bill will decline by $6.36, ComEd said Friday.

The utility said lower electricity costs nationwide accounts for the drop in prices, which comes just as air-conditioning season kicks in.

"The global economic downturn has had a huge impact on the supply-and-demand dynamics for commodities, and, as a result, prices are falling for electiricity," said Anne Pramaggiore, a ComEd executive.

On the heels of the story I had already posted yesterday.

ComEd households will see lower bills

Crain's:

Chicago-area household electric bills will fall significantly beginning in June.

The new price of $33.23 per megawatt-hour applies to nearly one-third of the power used by Commonwealth Edison Co. customers. The new price is about half the cost now paid by households and small businesses.

The Illinois Power Agency, the new state agency that buys electricity on behalf of utility customers, this week completed its first-ever procurement for ComEd customers. The one- and two-year contracts with 10 power generators and suppliers, worth a collective $588 million, are effective beginning June 1.

The rest of the power consumed by ComEd customers is priced according to previous contracts.

State Offers Help for Low-Income Families Heating Homes

WBBM 780 AM:

The government increased LIHEAP’s previous funding by $118 million, which will be used to help low-income residents heat their homes and some of the money will go to the Illinois Home Weatherization Assistance Program (IHWAP).

Both LIHEAP and IHWAP are energy assistance programs for those with incomes of up to 150 percent of the federal poverty level, the release said.

To qualify, a single-person household must have an income of up to $1,300 per month, a two-person household up to $1,750 and a family of four can earn up to $2,650, the release said.

“Working families throughout Illinois are struggling to make ends meet as prices for food, housing and gasoline skyrocket,” Gov. Rod Blagojevich said. “I’m happy to announce that this year we can help more working families, seniors and others to stay safe and healthy as temperatures drop.”

Various “community action agencies” statewide will begin accepting applications for energy assistance Nov. 1, which are approved on a first-come, first-serve basis. For more information, residents can visit the Keep Warm Illinois website at www.keepwarmillinois.gov or call (877) 411-WARM.

FYI!

Darkness falls

Sneed:

Flipping the switch: The economy is turning off the lights in record numbers.

• • Translation: Sneed hears alarming numbers of Chicagoans are seeing their electricity shut off because they can't pay their bills.

• • The shocker: Last month, more than 18,100 homes in Chicago were without electricity, according to the city Environment Department. ComEd -- which would not provide statistics, saying that's against company policy -- says the numbers this year aren't much different from years past. But the Office of Environment tells Sneed 10,000 homes were without electricity last November.

• • Background: Sneed hears disconnection stats are routinely provided to the city by ComEd to prevent tragedies related to electricity disconnections. The company began supplying the information to the city two years ago, after the deaths of six children in an apartment fire in Rogers Park blamed on a candle that was lit after their electricity was turned off.
...
• • The stunner: "The sad part is we haven't had people asking for help," said a ward source. "There are energy-assistance programs out their available for people who are having problems paying their bills." (Reach the Energy Assistance Hotline toll-free at 800-571-2332.)

How is everybody making out with their electric bills?

Aldermen take aim at Peoples Gas credit policy

Chi-Town Daily News:

Aldermen are questioning a Peoples Gas policy that leaves customers who pay their bills late with black marks on their credit reports.

Customers who owe more than $100 and are more than 60 days late on a payment are reported to a credit agency, according to Rod Sierra, spokesman for Integrys Energy Group, Inc., which owns the gas company. That can lead to difficulty getting a mortgage or car loan, especially during the current credit crunch.

Ald. Fredrenna Lyle (D-6) demanded that the company reconsider the policy during a City Council Energy and Environment Committee meeting yesterday.

“This is even more important now, when we’re seeing everyone’s credit is getting tightened because of what’s happened on Wall Street,” said Lyle.

Ald. George Cardenas (D-12) agreed with his colleague.

“Someone could have a bad mark on their credit report for up to seven years, all because of a missed payment of 60 or 100 dollars,” he said.

ComEd could seek $3 monthly surcharge, aldermen told

Clout St:

ComEd customers might be asked to pay a permanent $3 monthly surcharge so the company can augment its electricity delivery system with the latest technology, the utility’s leader said Tuesday at a Chicago City Council committee meeting.

The upgrades, a combination of new digital technologies called “smart grid,” would allow ComEd to know when an outage occurs without a call from an affected customer, said ComEd president and chief operating officer J. Barry Mitchell. It also would allow remote switching of circuits that now can only be flipped manually.

“The initial phase of smart grid would incorporate technology proven to lead to fewer and shorter outages and strengthen the system infrastructure,” Mitchell said. “Our vision for smart grid would provide customers with real-time data to make better-informed choices about their electricity use with advanced meters and automated self-healing distribution equipment to drastically reduce outage duration.”

Wasn't there movement to freeze electric rates at one point? Now consumers are getting hit with another fee!