BRIEF: Ameren Illinois seeks $50 million gas rate increase 

BRIEF: Ameren Illinois seeks 50 million gas rate increase

Jan 25, 2013 (Menafn - St. Louis Post-Dispatch - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --Ameren Illinois is seeking to boost natural gas delivery rates by 50 million to offset rising costs and recover infrastructure investments.

If approved, a typical residential customer using 785 therms of natural gas a year would pay an extra 2.52 to 4 a month, depending on where they live.

Ameren Illinois filed papers on Friday with the Illinois Commerce Commission formally seeking to raise rates. It will take about 11 months for the commission to rule on the request, so existing rates will remain in place until December.

The utility, a unit of St. Louis-based Ameren Corp., delivers natural gas to 813,000 customers in central and southern Illinois.

Ameren said it will help consumers offset the impact of higher rates through energy efficiency initiatives.

"We understand the impact a delivery service rate increase may have on our customers and will continue to help our customers better manage their energy spending," Craig Nelson, senior vice president of Ameren Illinois, said in a statement.

The ICC approved a 32.2 million gas delivery rate increase for Ameren Illinois a year ago.

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