{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"Citizens Utility Board","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org","title":"New CUB Study: Electric Vehicle Drivers Would Enjoy Big Savings with Ameren's Power Smart Pricing Program | Citizens Utility Board","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"tJq1KPtx6e\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/powersmartpricingstudy\/\">New CUB Study: Electric Vehicle Drivers Would Enjoy Big Savings with Ameren&#8217;s Power Smart Pricing Program<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/powersmartpricingstudy\/embed\/#?secret=tJq1KPtx6e\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;New CUB Study: Electric Vehicle Drivers Would Enjoy Big Savings with Ameren&#8217;s Power Smart Pricing Program&#8221; &#8212; Citizens Utility Board\" data-secret=\"tJq1KPtx6e\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/* ]]> *\/\n<\/script>\n","description":"[vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;5\/6&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;New CUB Study: Electric Vehicle Drivers Would Enjoy Big Savings with Ameren&#8217;s Power Smart Pricing Program&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h2|font_size:24|text_align:left&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/6&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;5\/6&#8243;][vc_column_text][\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/6&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;5\/6&#8243;][vc_column_text]FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 10, 2020 CONTACT:\u00a0Jim Chilsen, (o) 312-263-4282, (c) 312-513-1784 Electric Vehicle drivers in Central and Southern Illinois could potentially save hundreds of dollars a year in charging costs if they participate in an Ameren Illinois program called Power Smart Pricing, according to a new study released by the nonprofit consumer watchdog Citizens Utility Board (CUB) Monday. &#8220;Charge for Less: An Analysis of Electricity Pricing for Electric Vehicles in Ameren Territory&#8221; can be found at CUBHelpCenter.com. It was written by CUB Data Scientist Ramandeep Makhija, Research Director Jeff Zethmayr and Executive Director David Kolata. The study found that Ameren\u2019s Power Smart Pricing program, a special electricity plan available to residential customers, could have helped electric vehicle (EV) drivers reduce the annual cost for charging their vehicles by 50 percent to 51 percent, compared with what they would have paid under Ameren\u2019s traditional electric prices. The potential savings ranged from $31 to $220 over the year studied, 2018. Unlike Ameren\u2019s standard power price, which changes infrequently, Power Smart Pricing charges a market-based price that can change hourly. Those prices often plummet during \u201coff-peak\u201d times (typically nights and weekends) when electricity demand is low, giving customers the chance to save money on their electric bills. By encouraging drivers to charge their cars when electricity demand is low, Power Smart Pricing not only saves participants money, but it also puts less stress on the power grid, improving reliability and reducing pollution. \u201cPower Smart Pricing is a great choice for a lot of Ameren customers\u2014because the program is good for the planet and our pocketbooks\u2014but it is especially beneficial for EV drivers,\u201d said CUB Executive Director David Kolata, an EV driver himself. \u201cIllinois urgently needs to develop smart charging policies that promote programs like Power Smart Pricing to prevent our costs from going up as more and more EVs hit Illinois roadways.\u201d The Edison Electric Institute predicts that EV sales will rise sharply over the next decade, leading to nearly 19 million in the U.S. by 2030, up from about 1.5 million now. If not properly managed, this influx could significantly increase overall U.S. peak electricity demand and force everyone to pay higher power bills to cover a costly expansion of power plants and the grid. But this is preventable with good policies. In fact, CUB studies show that optimization\u2014charging EVs at the right times\u2014would lower electricity rates for all consumers. CUB\u2019s report comes as EVs are generating news in Central and Southern Illinois. In Normal, Rivian is giving new life to a shuttered Mitsubishi factory, transforming it into an EV manufacturing plant that will employ as many as 1,000 workers. Meanwhile, in Springfield, Gov. J.B. Pritzker has called for clean energy legislation that \u201caccelerates electrification of our transportation sector.\u201d CUB is currently advocating for the General Assembly to pass the Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA), the most consumer-friendly energy bill in Springfield. It includes a \u201cbeneficial electrification\u201d provision that would encourage people to charge their EVs at off-peak [&hellip;]","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/CUB_IL_LogoBadgeRGBAdminLogo.png","thumbnail_width":254,"thumbnail_height":254}