SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- An Illinois environmental protection group is continuing a push to get one of the state's largest energy providers to adopt new ways for customers to get real-time data on their electricity use.

The idea has already been adopted by ComEd, which serves millions of customers in northern Illinois. Now the push is on to get downstate energy provider Ameren on board with what has been called the "Open Data Access Framework.”

The new standards would allow people to monitor their electricity use, which could lead to lower utility bills, according to Andrew Barbeau, president of the Chicago-based clean technology consulting firm, Accelerate Group. The technology is becoming possible as the utility switches over to so-called Smart Meters. But, said Barbeau, Ameren has so far resisted the idea.

"Ameren has taken the role of an old-fashioned, traditional utility so far, saying 'Well, this is our data,' and trying to make it a little more difficult for customer access it,” Barbeau said. "We hope that will change. We're pushing hard. We want all customers in Illinois to be able to get easy access to their Smart Meter data. It's not just for the utility. It's for the customers primarily."

The technology is becoming possible as the utility switches over to so-called Smart Meters. Barbeau says his group is pursuing legal action to force the issue. An Ameren spokeswoman recently told Midwest Energy News that the company is moving slowly on the idea because of customer privacy concerns. And local groups, including Naperville Smart Meter Awareness, have complained that the meters' radio-frequency transmissions can cause health problems.

The Government Accountability Office has raised concerns about the wrong people getting access to smart meter data. Barbeau, however, argues that Illinois' power utilities should make energy consumption data available for customers, and he's urging Ameren to follow ComEd's lead.

"[ComEd] agreed to open up access and really explore cutting-edge ways to get data out to customers as quickly and easily as possible,” Barbeau said. "Ameren has decided not to agree to anything in that case, and so now it's becoming contested."

Meanwhile, the Illinois Citizens Utility Board and the Environmental Defense Fund say the new data standards will protect customer privacy, and if Ameren does adopt them, energy prices for homeowners could go down thanks to off-peak billing rates.

For more information, visit edf.org.




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A recent wave of racist texts targeting Black Wisconsinites has sparked concerns about data privacy.

The personal information people voluntarily disclose on various online platforms is often used for marketing purposes and can be sold to data brokers, who then sell it to others.

Chad Johnson, assistant professor of computing and new media technologies at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, said industry estimates show most data brokers have no less than 15 data points on every American including age and ethnicity, detailed contact information and even Social Security numbers.

"Since there's no regulation over who can buy those, of course, it could be other advertising agencies, it could be other platforms," Johnson pointed out. "But there's also nothing stopping, for example, a white supremacist movement from buying that information for purposes exactly like this."

Personal data can also be stolen or leaked. Johnson added there is currently no comprehensive federal law to protects data and privacy in the U.S. However, Wisconsin's new data privacy law goes into effect next year.

The Wisconsin Data Privacy Act, passed a year ago today, includes requiring businesses to inform people if their data is being collected and the purpose, as well as the right to access their personal data and request it be corrected or deleted.

Johnson said because anyone can have such detailed information about their targets is where an intimidation factor comes in.

"It kind of sends the message, also implicitly, well what else could they possibly know?" Johnson explained. "If they have my ethnicity, do they have my address, do they have my children's names, do they have my school or my children's school? Do they have my web history, or anything along those lines? It's impossible to know."

He added until people come together to demand better regulation, little can be done to prevent cyberattacks, making individual precautions more important than ever.


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With Thanksgiving just over two weeks away, will Michiganders and shoppers across the country face sticker shock at the grocery store while planning their holiday meals?

There is a mix of good and not-so-good news. According to consumer experts, grocery inflation has eased, with prices rising just 1.3% over the past year. However, prices are more than 20% higher than four years ago.

David Ortega, professor of food economics and policy at Michigan State University, said you won't have to dig as deep for the star of the Thanksgiving menu: turkey.

"Turkey prices, they're expected to be down compared to last year," Ortega reported. "The industry has been struggling with the bird flu outbreak over the past couple of years but producers are better prepared now. So you can expect to find turkeys anywhere between 2% and 10% lower in price."

The price increases this holiday season stem from several factors, including the 2019 pandemic disrupting supply chains, droughts damaging crops, avian flu driving up egg prices, and global conflicts raising overall costs.

Ortega emphasized taking advantage of your grocery store's loyalty program or app can unlock significant savings, which sometimes offers personalized discounts tailored to your shopping habits. He shared a couple of other practical strategies to help keep your holiday meal costs in check.

"Look for store brands or private labels," Ortega advised. "They're a great way to cut costs and often times, you're not really compromising on quality. And I suggest that you make a detailed shopping list, and that you stick to it."

Ortega added as shoppers become more budget-conscious, stores are offering more promotions and loyalty programs. Retailers are working to keep holiday meals affordable, with some even matching prices from 2019.


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Misinformation about electric vehicles is keeping more of them from being on Connecticut roads.

Owners of the state's more than 31,000 registered EVs still face rumors about poor battery range in colder climates. Many agencies said it is false, with some drivers feeling EVs can handle winter roads better than gas-powered cars.

Karamo Kourouma, an EV owner in Cheshire, said driving an EV involves a different mindset from a gas-powered car.

"Being able to know I just go home and plug in my car just like I would do with my cellphone; plug it in at night, wake up in the morning, unplug it, and get on your way," Kourouma explained. "You basically wake up with a fully charged battery."

Another challenge he sees for EVs is how people think of charging stations. While some charge their cars at home or fast-charging stations, Kourouma thinks there are ways to build up the infrastructure. One example is adding electric-vehicle chargers to some parking meters across places such as downtown New Haven with the hope of breaking "range anxiety" some drivers face.

Owning an EV for three years has shown Kourouma gas-powered cars are meeting their match, particularly in costs. Although gas-powered cars are less expensive to buy, EVs are shown to save consumers money in long-term costs such as maintenance, fuel and repair costs. He acknowledged misconceptions about cost keep people from making the switch.

"When people see me drive a Tesla, they think I paid $70,000, $80,000 for it, and I try to explain to them that, no, the vehicle I'm driving is $48,000 before incentives," Kourouma pointed out. "They need to be more aware of the fact now EVs tend to be in a price range that most people can afford them."

Connecticut has myriad programs designed to help people afford EVs. One includes the Connecticut Connecticut Hydrogen and Electric Automobile Purchase Rebate, which offers incentives of up to $7,500 for state residents to buy or lease an eligible clean energy vehicle.