Missouri's Public Service Commission on Wednesday set Dec. 20 as the deadline for parties wishing to intervene in Ameren Missouri's fuel adjustment charge rate case.
The company has asked the PSC to allow it to raise its rates by about $1.24 a month for residential customers who use 1,100 kilowatt hours of electricity each month.
In its filing, Ameren Missouri told the PSC its proposal is based on changes in its costs - for the three-month period ending Sept. 30, 2010 - both for buying fuel to help it create its own electricity to sell to customers, and for buying the power produced by other companies, minus the money it received from selling electricity to other companies who also distribute and use power through the national "grid."
If the commission okays the request, customers would see the change in the "FAC" or "Fuel Adjustment Clause" line on their bill.
In a news release, the PSC noted an electric utility's base rates, including Ameren Missouri's, are set to "reflect a certain level of fuel and purchased power costs, less offsystem sales revenue."
State law then allows companies to ask the PSC to adjust the base rates several times a year, to reflect a utility's actual cost experiences.
Ameren Missouri proposes to change its fuel adjustment clause in February, if the PSC approves.