Missouri PSC approves $355M rate hike for Ameren Missouri customers

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — On Wednesday, the Missouri Public Service Commission approved two agreements setting new rates for electric customers of Ameren Missouri.

The commission approved two unopposed agreements between the parties in the case. Ameren Missouri, Commission Staff, Missouri Industrial Energy Consumers, Consumers Council of Missouri, Renew Missouri Advocates, AARP, Metropolitan Congregations United, and Midwest Energy Consumers Group were signatories to both agreements. The Office of the Public Counsel was not a signatory to one agreement and Sierra Club was not a signatory to either agreement, but neither party opposed either agreement.

Under the agreements, Ameren Missouri will increase rates by $355 million. The amount approved by the commission was $91 million less than Ameren’s original request.

The current residential customer charge of $9 will not be increased. The customer charge is a fixed monthly amount that covers a portion of the cost of providing service to a location irrespective of energy consumption.

Additionally, the parties agreed to amounts and terms for several low-income programs including the Keeping Current and Keeping Cool program, the New Start program, the Critical Needs program, and the Low-Income Weatherization program.

Ameren Missouri also agreed to not seek ratepayer recovery of amounts for mitigation ordered in federal litigation regarding Ameren Missouri’s Rush Island Energy Center’s air pollution.

Ameren Missouri will continue its Fuel Adjustment Clause, which allows for rate adjustments based on the cost of fuel.

Approximately 1.2 million electric customers are served by Ameren Missouri in the state.