St. Louis Beacon, December 11, 2012
Even though Missouri law bars utilities from charging their customers for construction projects that haven’t produced any power, Ameren Missouri has tacked $10 million onto Missouri customers’ bills for power lines that it hasn’t even started to build yet.
The utility estimates that this cost will increase to $53 million by 2016.
The Public Service Commission staff and Office of Public Counsel, which represents the ratepayer in these hearings, had been unaware of a significant portion of these charges until after they had begun to flow into the customersâ bills.
On Wednesday, the PSC approved a $260 million rate increase for Ameren Missouri, about two-thirds of what the company had sought. The hike goes into effect Jan. 2.