{"id":41588,"date":"2024-10-22T10:04:29","date_gmt":"2024-10-22T15:04:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/?p=41588"},"modified":"2024-10-22T18:23:55","modified_gmt":"2024-10-22T23:23:55","slug":"cub-urges-icc-to-cut-ameren-rate-hike-request","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/blog\/2024\/10\/22\/cub-urges-icc-to-cut-ameren-rate-hike-request\/","title":{"rendered":"CUB Urges ICC to Cut Ameren Rate-Hike Request"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"The Citizens Utility Board (CUB) pushed back on a recommendation by state regulatory judges<\/a><\/strong> that the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) grant Ameren Illinois an electric rate hike of $315 million, saying the judges had overlooked key examples of overspending by the utility.<\/p>\n

The Proposed Order, submitted\u00a0on Oct. 8\u00a0by three ICC Administrative Law Judges, granted the utility more than 90 percent of the $334 million Ameren had requested. On Tuesday, CUB planned to file a brief asking the ICC to take a stronger stance to protect customers from unnecessary Ameren spending.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Proposed Order is disappointing, given the fact that CUB had identified roughly $100 million in overcharges in the utility\u2019s original request,\u201d CUB Executive Director Sarah Moskowitz said. \u201cWe urge the five-member ICC to hold Ameren accountable, remove wasteful spending and slash Ameren\u2019s rate hike.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Take action:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sign CUB’s petition against reckless electric utility spending.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

File a public comment with the ICC.\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

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The ICC is scheduled to make a final ruling on the case (Docket 24-0238)<\/strong> <\/a>before the end of the year. The five commissioners can follow the proposed order or adjust the rate hike up or down, as they see fit.<\/p>\n

This is the latest development in a dramatic series of events dating back to last December, when the ICC slashed the company\u2019s proposed rate-hike request and rejected the utility\u2019s plan for updating the power grid. Commissioners said Ameren\u00a0had failed to prove that the plan would be affordable for consumers.<\/p>\n

Earlier this year, Ameren refiled its grid plan as well as a multi-year plan for raising rates. After some adjustments over the course of the case, Ameren is now proposing to raise rates by $334 million through 2027.<\/p>\n

In August, CUB filed testimony identifying about $100 million in overcharges in Ameren\u2019s proposed rate hike. CUB identified hundreds of millions of dollars in wasteful or improper spending proposed by Ameren, with a portion to be recovered through the current rate-hike request, and the rest recovered over decades to come. A summary of key parts of CUB\u2019s testimony:<\/p>\n