Group claims Ameren rate increases detrimental

PSC is well aware

Within hours of last week's Public Service Commission vote raising Ameren Missouri's electric rates by $260 million, a group that often battles with the St. Louis-based utility warned that "this increase will hurt Missouri's ability to crawl out of this economic downturn."

The PSC Staff estimates the new rates, which will go into effect after Jan. 1, will raise the "average" residential customer's bill about $10 a month.

The Fair Energy Rate Action Fund, a consortium of business and consumer groups, noted in its news release that last week's ruling in Ameren's latest rate case "will allow ... Ameren to raise rates on Missourians for the fifth time in six years, (which) means that Ameren has now raised rates about $1 billion over the past six years."