Ameren Post 2006: Working to Keep Energy Costs as Low as Possible

News and Info
	03/02/06	St. Louis Post Dispatch, Editorial: Volts and Votes “It’s a safe bet that when deregulation was approved in 1997, no one―neither its supporters not its opponents―imagined it would result in higher prices.”
	01/30/06	Champaign News Gazette, Editorial: Only 11 More Months of Artificially Low Electric Rates “The cost of electricity is going to increase in January, but don't blame it on the Illinois Commerce Commission or the utilities. The only reason consumers have reason to complain is that they've been fortunate to have eight years of artificially low rates.”
	01/30/06	Crain’s Chicago Business, Article: Don’t Lose Your Head Over Higher Electricity Prices “Nobody likes paying more to keep the lights on. But if we want to make sure they come on at all, we have to make sure our utility companies are profitable. Otherwise, we'll end up with rolling blackouts and an energy crisis like our brothers and sisters in California.”
	01/28/06	St. Louis Post Dispatch, Article: It Might be Time to Power Down Illinois Politics on Deregulation “In the nine years since Illinois decided to deregulate its electric utilities, consumers have saved an estimated $3.5 billion. But Gov. Blagojevich and some consumer groups are developing a severe case of buyer’s remorse.”
	01/13/06	Chicago Tribune, Editorial: Time to Resolve ComEd Case “Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Monday nominated Box, 54, as chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission. Box is not an expert in utilities, but the even-handedness and attention to detail he demonstrated as mayor make him a solid choice to head a regulatory panel that wrestles with complex and contentious issues.”
	12/27/05	Ameren News Release: Ameren Illinois Utilities File Rate Proposals with Illinois Commerce Commission “The delivery service rate increase requests are related only to the costs that Ameren’s Illinois utilities incur to deliver electricity―typically about 20 to 30 percent of a customer’s total electric bill.”
	12/15/05	Chicago Sun-Times, Other Views: ComEd’s Pursuit of a Competitive Market Benefits Consumers “ComEd’s procurement plan was developed after six months of careful study and a series of workshops sponsored by the ICC, involving all key stakeholders.”
	12/08/05	Chicago Tribune, Editorial: A Vote for Competitive Power “Sifting through months of testimony and evidence, Administrative Law Judge Michael Wallace this week issued a 242-page report that determined the ComEd plan was reasonable. He recommended it be approved by the ICC almost in its entirety.”
	10/24/05	Chicago Tribune, Editorial: A Rigged Game at the ICC “Baseball wouldn’t rig its game, and neither should Illinois. A regulatory body like the ICC is supposed to render impartial decisions, independent of the influence of politics or special interests.”
	10/21/05	Chicago Tribune, Letter to the Editor: Let ComEd’s Regulators Do their Job “The electric supplier willing to sell at the lowest cost to ComEd wins. ComEd has asked the ICC to hear the evidence and decide whether its proposal has merit.”
	10/13/05	Dow Jones, Article: Illinois Regulatory Staff Again Backs Power Auction Plan “The Illinois commission staff previously voiced auction support in multiple filings in June. The latest brief summarizes its earlier position, and also shows a favorable opinion of some auction plan changes ComEd made this summer.”
	10/11/05	Decatur Herald and Review, Editorial: Make Rate Hike Fair to Utility and Consumers “But it would be wrong to place a large portion of the blame on the utility companies. These companies have complied with the deregulation laws and lived with a 10-year freeze on raising rates.”
	09/23/05	Daily Herald, Editorial: Governor’s ICC Moves Send Wrong Message “But Blagojevich’s appointment of Cohen doesn’t come under normal circumstances. It arrives on the heels of the governor’s wholly inappropriate letter to ICC commissioners...”
	09/22/05	Chicago Tribune, Editorial: The Kingfish of Illinois “State regulatory panels like the ICC are supposed to be insulated from the pressures of politicians and special interests so they can render a sober and professional analysis of issues before them. But Blagojevich wants none of that.”
	09/14/05	Chicago Tribune, Editorial: Power Struggle “Political leaders do consumers no favor by seeking to put a legal blockade on a market system. That will only put at risk the reliability of the supply of electricity to Illinois homes.”
	09/16/05	Chicago Sun-Times, Editorial: Our Demand for Power Supply Should Rule in Marketplace “People certainly deserve good service at a reasonable price. But they also deserve a reliable power grid and a dependable supply of electricity. As the 1990s’ power crisis in California demonstrated, a retail rate cap can fatally hurt the ability of a utility buying power in an unregulated wholesale market to keep up with demand.”
Filings and Communications
	09/14/05	Ameren Letter to Gov. Blagojevich “We remain willing to work with all stakeholders to fashion a means of addressing the impacts of the expiration of a decade-long rate reduction and rate freeze…we do not believe that the process is enhanced by a proposal that could result in a California-style meltdown…”
Media Center
	09/30/05	Radio message from the president of Ameren’s Illinois utilities―Scott Cisel.