DECATUR (AP) — Ameren officials say storm damage, rising interest rates and customers’ bad debts are the reasons the utility has asked for a $226 million rate increase.
Ameren executive Ron Pate says line repairs after recent storms cost $25 million. He says Ameren paid $150 million in interest last year to borrow money to operate. And bad debts last year totaled $49 million.
Pate says Ameren cut other costs and froze executive salaries before requesting the rate increase.
But David Kolata, executive director of the Citizens Utility Board consumer watchdog group, says if people can’t pay their bills raising rates doesn’t make sense.
The rate increase request was filed last week with the Illinois Commerce Commission.
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Information from: Herald & Review, http://www.herald-review.com
State News
Storms among Ameren’s reasons for rate request
- State News
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Ill. House approves guns plan opposed by governor
SPRINGFIELD (AP) — Gun owners could carry concealed weapons in Illinois, the last state in the nation to prohibit it, under legislation that swept through the House Friday with the backing of the powerful Democratic speaker from Chicago, a longtime proponent of firearms restrictions.
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Ill. Senate approves health-coverage exchange plan
SPRINGFIELD (AP) — The Illinois Senate agreed Thursday to create a state-governed "health insurance exchange" where individuals and small businesses could shop for coverage as required by President Barack Obama's health law.
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5 dead in Ill. van crash part of Christian group
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New Ill. House gun bill excludes parks, transit
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Ill. House committee approves Medicaid expansion
SPRINGFIELD (AP) — A plan to expand Medicaid coverage for low-income adults without children squeaked through an Illinois House committee Tuesday despite scrutiny over a last-minute amendment that would give more flexibility to mental health institutions.
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Ill. Senate panel endorses ammunition limit
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Parents of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims testified Monday in favor of an Illinois limit on the size of ammunition magazines, a proposal that got a Senate committee endorsement.
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Ill. House approves guns plan opposed by governor
