A selection of recent utility-related news articles, collated by Consumers Council of Missouri.

Updates regarding the recent Missouri utilities’ proposed rate increases from Consumers Council of Missouri.

Residents met at the Southside Wellness Center in St. Louis to participate in a virtual hearing for the Ameren electric rate case before the Missouri PSC. Read what they had to say about the proposed rate hike.

Ameren Missouri is seeking a +15.77% rate hike. The average residential customer could see an increase of approximately $17.45 per month. Local public hearings will take place from January 21-27, 2025. 

Jan. 21, 2025 @ 6:00 pm – Cape Girardeau

Jan. 22, 2025 @ Noon – St Charles

Jan. 22, 2025 @ 6:00 pm – St. Louis Community College-Forest Park

Jan. 23, 2025 @ Noon – Jefferson City

Jan. 23, 2025 @ 6:00 pm – Virtual Hearing

Jan. 24, 2025 @ Noon – Virtual Hearing

Jan. 27, 2025 @ Noon – Sunset Hills

For more details on the Ameren hearings, including how how to register for the virtual hearings, please visit:

https://psc.mo.gov/General/Upcoming_Local_Public_Hearings

Consumers Council of Missouri believes that Ameren Missouri should pursue all funding opportunities to reduce costs. Ameren Missouri can take advantage of federal funding available right now: The Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment (EIR) program.

Consumers Council is actively involved in rate cases filed by Missouri American Water Company, which is proposing a +40% increase in residential water rates, and Ameren Missouri, which is seeking a +15.77% rate hike. Public hearings for the water rate increase have already been completed, while the public hearings for Ameren’s proposed rate increase will take place from January 21-27, 2026. According to the Missouri Public Service Commission, the average residential customer of Ameren Missouri could see an increase of approximately $17.45 per month.

For more details on the Ameren hearings, please visit:

https://psc.mo.gov/Electric/PSC_Sets_Local_Public_Hearing_Schedule_in_Ameren_Missouri_Electric_Rate_Case–pr-25-15

Spire has filed a notice signaling that they too may request a rate increaseby November 19, 2024. In September 2024, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported allegations from a former Spire official that the utility instructed staff to conceal documents potentially blocking larger rate hikes. This claim is currently under investigation.

The Missouri Public Service Commission recently approved a settlement agreement regarding Ameren’s proposal to expand their Montgomery County solar generating facility. Consumers Council played a pivotal role in ensuring that the needs of low-income communities are not forgotten as Ameren expands solar production. As part of the settlement, Ameren agreed to meet with Consumers Council, along with any other interested party, to discuss the potential creation of a future community solar pilot project, to be located in an urban or rural area within Missouri that is designated as disadvantaged, and that would leverage federal funding to provide savings on the electric bills of subscribing customers within that community solar pilot project area.

See EA-2024-0212: https://efis.psc.mo.gov/Case/Display/84159

Energy insecurity is an increasingly important social and public health concern.

As costs for residential heating, cooling and other household energy needs steadily increase, they account for a higher percentage of household budgets and represent emerging disparities between households that are low-income and those who are more affluent.

In Missouri, thousands of families have suffered utility disconnections. In September 2024, Ameren Missouri disconnected over 16,000 households. In October 2024, Ameren Missouri disconnected over 17,000 households. Over 233,000 Ameren MO households were behind in their bills with an average past due amount of $199.91.

Energy insecurity leads to adverse health and social consequences, such as poor health, hospitalizations, and food insecurity. For many, this requires making a choice between purchasing food or heating their home.

When families lose utility service, they are placed at higher risk of investigation by child protective agencies.

Moving may be an option, but can result in challenges regarding changing schools, social networking, and adult work productivity.

Socioeconomic status and race/ethnicity are closely linked to energy insecurity with African Americans across the economic spectrum experiencing energy insecurity at the highest rates.

For more information:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953616304658

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/351440651_Surviving_a_Shut-Off_US_Households_at_Greatest_Risk_of_Utility_Disconnections_and_How_They_Cope

https://energyrights.info/content/living-without-power-health-impacts-utility-shutoffs-california

The Missouri Public Service Commission will hold local public hearings starting on October 28, 2024, to receive customer comment in the + 34% rate increase case filed by Missouri-American Water Company (MAWC). There will be in-person and virtual local public hearings conducted by the Public Service Commission.