News

Elizabeth Brandon Elizabeth Brandon

Dec. 1, 2023 CUB explainer: Who pays for transmission lines?

The long transmission lines that crisscross the country are key to keeping our lights on and getting cleaner, more affordable energy to the people who need it most. But like most things in life, they don’t come free. This Q&A illustrates where we pay for transmission on our power bills.

The long transmission lines that crisscross the country are key to keeping our lights on and getting cleaner, more affordable energy to the people who need it most. But like most things in life, they don’t come free. This Q&A illustrates where we pay for transmission on our power bills.

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Elizabeth Brandon Elizabeth Brandon

Oct. 24, 2022 Utility Dive: Opinion—Clean energy expertise for the PJM board should be the easiest vote members ever cast

When some 95% of the energy projects waiting to connect to the PJM grid are solar, wind, hybrid or battery storage, how could the grid’s board not include someone with expertise in these sources?

When some 95% of the energy projects waiting to connect to the PJM grid are solar, wind, hybrid or battery storage, how could the grid’s board not include someone with expertise in these sources? 

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Elizabeth Brandon Elizabeth Brandon

July 22, 2022 CUB explainer: What are capacity markets?

Because it’s such a key part of your bill, CUB produced this explainer to give you more information about capacity costs and how the market sets those prices.

As we hold community events across the state of Illinois, people are often surprised to hear that our electric bills cover not only the power we use but the power we could use. That’s capacity. 

And the cost of capacity–for most customers it’s hidden in the supply charge we pay–has grown over the years to about 21 percent of the supply side of our bills, according to the Illinois Commerce Commission. 

Because it’s such a key part of your bill, CUB produced this explainer to give you more information about capacity costs and how the market sets those prices. 

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