Ameren asking for rate increases

[June 08, 2009]  SPRINGFIELD -- Ameren has filed for a $226 million rate increase that would raise both natural gas and electric costs for most residents of downstate Illinois.

The typical residential customers of AmerenIP, which includes those in Champaign, Urbana and Danville, would pay about $152 more a year -- $97 more in electric rates and $55 more for natural gas.

Typical residential customers of AmerenCIPS and AmerenCILCO would see slightly smaller increases in their annual bills.

The rate increase request filed Friday with the Illinois Commerce Commission comes about 10 months after Ameren was granted a $162 million increase in gas and electric rates.

Ameren has 1.2 million electric and 840,000 natural gas customers in downstate Illinois.

[Associated Press]

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