Ameren Illinois residential customers would see a decrease in what they pay for electric delivery service next year under a plan filed today (Thursday) with the Illinois Commerce Commission. The proposal would lower bills for the typical residential customer by about $1.70 a month, according to a statement from Ameren.
It is the second consecutive rate decrease the company has sought, and the fifth overall rate decrease proposal since the Energy Infrastructure Modernization Act – or Smart Grid Bill – was passed in 2011.
‘’We’re pleased to report to the ICC and to our customers that Ameren Illinois electric delivery service rates will go down next year and our combined delivery and supply rates will remain well below the national average,’’ says Craig Nelson, a senior vice president for Ameren Illinois.
Ameren says it expects to invest an additional $128.4 million dollars on electric grid enhancements this year. Those project costs, along with other capital improvements of more than $300-million dollars to maintain equipment with new technology, will be recovered in 2018.
Ameren says to date, the company’s grid modernizations have resulted in an overall 17-percent increase in reliability and saved customers an estimated $45-million dollars each year. Ameren says it has installed 450,000 electric smart meters at customer premises and plans to add 540,000 more of the two-way devices through the end of 2018. Smart meters provide Ameren Illinois customers with enhanced energy usage data and access to programs to help them save on their energy bill.
