AMID 50% INCREASE IN AMEREN'S POWER PRICE, CUB CALLS ON UTILITY TO WORK WITH CUSTOMERS TO KEEP THEM SAFE, COOL, CONNECTED THIS SUMMER

CHICAGO, June 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As Ameren Illinois customers face a 50 percent increase in the price of power, the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) on Wednesday called for the utility to work with people struggling to afford their bills this summer so they can keep their electricity on and protect themselves from dangerous heat.

"This will be a difficult summer for far too many customers," CUB Executive Director Sarah Moskowitz said. "In this expensive summer, we urge Ameren to do everything possible to work with customers so they can stay connected and keep their homes safe and cool." She called for Ameren to offer consumer-friendly payment plans that give customers a longer time to pay off their debt.

Ameren's summer "price to compare"— the rate customers should compare with alternative supplier offers—is: 12.18 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) from June through September.

Note: This rate includes the supply price, a transmission charge and a "supply cost adjustment." The increase impacts the supply section, which makes up about a half to two-thirds of bills. Ameren doesn't profit off supply—they pass those costs onto customers with no markup. The non-summer supply rate has yet to be finalized, but Ameren estimates the price will decrease to roughly 8 cents to 9 cents per kWh on Oct. 1.

Ameren has estimated the increase will cost customers an average of 18 to 22 percent, or about $38 to $46 more per month over the summer. The spike is connected to an increase in the price for reserve power, also called "capacity." CUB argues that capacity costs have skyrocketed largely because of policy problems with the power grid operator for central and southern Illinois, the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, or MISO, which runs an auction that determines the capacity price.

CUB has tips to help Illinois consumers get through the expensive summer at CUBHelpCenter.com, including: 

• Use energy efficiency to soften the blow of the price spike. Simple actions can help, such as weatherizing windows and doors and turning off unnecessary lights. Don't take risks that keep your home too hot. Efficiency is about eliminating waste but staying safe and cool this summer.
   
• Stay in contact with your utility. Consumers who are struggling should contact Ameren to inquire about payment plans and learn about energy efficiency programs.
   
• Consider programs to help ease costs. Ameren's Peak Time Rewards program gives customers the opportunity to earn bill credits by reducing electricity usage during high-demand periods, typically summer afternoons. Also, Illinois' community solar program offers customers the benefits of solar power without having to install panels on their homes. All offers currently guarantee savings compared to Ameren's supply price. CUB's resource, SolarInTheCommunity.com, can help you carefully shop for offers.
   
• Beware of rip-offs. Since 2015, Illinois consumers have lost about $1.8 billion to alternative electricity suppliers. These suppliers are impacted by the same market conditions that are causing utility prices to increase, so it's likely, even in this expensive market, that Ameren is your best bet. One exception: If your community has negotiated a power deal with a supplier, it's possible the price is lower than Ameren's supply rate. Confirm the price and find out when the offer expires.

For more than 40 years the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) has been Illinois' leading nonprofit utility watchdog group. 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 helped save consumers more than $20 billion by blocking rate hikes and securing refunds. For more information, call CUB's Consumer Hotline, at 1-800-669-5556, or visit CUB's website, www.CitizensUtilityBoard.org.

SOURCE Citizens Utility Board